He let her go, and in an instant the door had closed between them.

He stood motionless, waiting tensely for the shooting of the bolt; but it did not come.

He only heard instead a faint sound of smothered sobbing.
For a space he stood listening, his face drawn into deep lines, his hands hard clenched.

Then at length with a bitter gesture he flung himself down at the table.
He was still sitting motionless a quarter of an hour later, the food untouched before him, when the intervening door opened suddenly and silently, and like a swooping bird Sylvia came swiftly behind him and laid her two hands on his shoulders.
"Partner dear, I've been a big idiot.

Will you forgive me ?" she said.
Her voice was tremulous.