Also there was a lack of geniality in his tone which showed that he did not greatly love the duke; and the one smile he lavished on Pollyooly was stiff and wooden.

But she certainly passed his careless scrutiny.
Then, they had gone but a few steps into the hall when a slim and serpentine dachshund trotted forward to greet them.

It avoided the duke and sniffed at Pollyooly.

Then it uttered a yelp of joy, and began to dance round her.

At the yelp, four more small dogs hurried down the hall, and flung themselves on Pollyooly with every sign of the warmest affection.
The duke gasped and blinked, suddenly assumed a Machiavellian air, and said, for the benefit of the butler and footman, in a high, unnatural voice: "Well, at any rate, the dogs haven't forgotten you, Marion." "No, papa," said Pollyooly with an angel smile..