The family had either finished its dinner long ago, had not eaten, or did not intend to eat at all.

"The table looked some shy," declared McKinney.

Beyond this he was incoherent, distressed, and plainly nervous.

Silence fell upon the entire group, and for some time each man in Dan Andersen's salon was wrapped in thought.

Perhaps each one cast a furtive look from the tail of his eye at his neighbors.
Of all present, Curly seemed the happiest.