" She rose with
an expression of mingled surprise and pain. "Really, mother," she said,
"that is an extraordinary request." Her brother snorted. There was a
sudden muffled clamour of chimes from below, and Mrs. Polder gave a sigh
of relief. "I didn't want it spoiled," she explained, descending; "Jim
would be wild after all his eagerness to have things nice."
The dining room, resembling all the interior, was long and narrow, and
had a high ceiling in varnished light wood. Byron Polder faced his wife
at the opposite end of the table. Howat Penny sat beside Mariana, with
Jim Polder across; Isabella was on her mother's right; and a waiting
place was filled by a dark, surprisingly beautiful girl. "This is Kate,"
Mrs. Polder said proudly. Howat thought he had not seen such a handsome
female for years. She wore a ruffled, transparent crepe de Chine waist
that clung in frank curves to full, graceful shoulders; her hair was a
lustrous, black coil, and she had sultry, topaz eyes and a mouth
drooping like her father's, but more warmly bowed. Kate Polder met the
direct pleasure of his inspection with a privately conveyed admission
that she understood and subscribed to it. Here, at last, was a girl up
to the standard of old days, the divinity of Scalchi herself.
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