Kedzie floated into the dining-room and passed the gantlet of the
servants. Ignoring them haughtily, she did not ignore the sudden
change of their scorn to homage. Nothing was said or done; yet the
air was full of her victory. Much was forgiven her for her beauty,
and she forgave the whole household much because of its surrender.
It was a family dinner and not elaborate. Mr. and Mrs. Dyckman
had arrived at the stage when nearly everything they liked to eat
or drink was forbidden to them. Jim had an athlete's appetite for
simples, and Kedzie had an actress' dread of fattening things and
sweets. There was a procession of dishes submitted to her inspection,
but seeing them refused first by Mrs. Dyckman, she declined most
of them in her turn.
Kedzie had been afraid that she would blunder in choice among a
long array of forks, but she escaped the test, since each course
was accompanied by the tools to eat it with. There was a little
champagne to toast the bride in.
She found the grandeur of the room belittling to the small party at
table. There were brave efforts to make her feel at home and brief
sallies of high spirits, but there was no real gaiety. How could
there be, when there was no possible congeniality? The elder couple
had lived in a world unknown to Kedzie. Their son had dazed them by
his sudden return with a strange captive from beyond the pale. She
was a pretty barbarian, but a barbarian she was, and no mistake.
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