He stood up and turned to his cousin. "Horace!" he said, and held out his hand. The other put a thin hot hand into it.--"See here, Sissy," said Percival, "we are friends." "Yes, we're friends," Horace repeated. "Has it vexed you, Sissy? I thought you didn't care about me. I'm sorry, dear--I'm very sorry." Aunt Harriet, standing by, laid her hand on his arm. She had held aloof for that long year, feeling that he was in the wrong. He had not acted as a Thorne should, and he could never be the same to her as in old days. But she had wanted her boy, nevertheless, right or wrong, and since Percival had pardoned him, and since it was partly Godfrey's hardness that had driven him into deceit, and since he was so ill, and since--and since--she loved him, she drew his head down to her and kissed him. Horace was weak, and he had to turn his face away and wipe his eyes. But, relinquishing Percival's hand, he held Aunt Harriet's. Percival stooped again, in obedience to a sign from Sissy. "Ask him to forgive me," she said. "He knows nothing, dear." "Ask him for me." "Horace," said Percival, "Sissy wants your forgiveness." "I've nothing to forgive," said Horace. "It is I who ought to ask to be forgiven. It was hard on me when first you came to Brackenhill, Percy, but it has been harder on you since. I hardly know what I said or did on that day: I thought you'd been plotting against me." "No, no," said Sissy--"not he." "No, but I did think so.--Since then I've felt that, anyhow, it was not fair. I suppose I was too proud to say so, or hardly knew how, especially as the wrong is past mending. But I do ask your pardon now." "You have it," said Percival. "We didn't understand each other very well." "But I never blamed you, Sissy--never, for one moment. I wasn't so bad as that. I've watched for you now and then in Fordborough streets, just to get a glimpse as you went by. I thought it was you who would never forgive me, because of Percival." "He has forgiven," said Sissy. But her eyes still sought Percival's. "Look here, Horace," he said. "There was a misunderstanding you knew nothing of, and Sissy feels that she might have cleared it up. It _was_ cleared up at last, but I think it altered my grandfather's manner to you for a time. If you wish to know the whole I will tell you. But since it is all over and done with, and did not really do you any harm, if you like best"--he looked steadily at Horace--"that we should forgive and forget on both sides, we will bury the past here to-day." "Yes, yes," said Horace. "Sissy may have made a mistake, but she never meant me any harm, I know." "Don't! don't! Oh, Horace, I did, but I am sorry." "God knows I forgive you, whatever it was," he said. "Kiss me, Horace." He stooped and kissed her, as he had kissed her many a time when she was his little pet and playmate. She kissed him back again, and smiled: "Good-bye, Horry!"