"Every duty, for me, has its appointed time!" said the secretary.
"Your letters are in the hall. I suppose you have a large circle of acquaintances, Mr. Russell?"
Toney was trying to smother her laughter as the secretary bowed low to the hostess.
"Not very large," said Mr. Russell, as if he were trying to be humble. "Rather a bore to answer them."
"I'm afraid it will take you some time, but, of course, one uses a paper-basket largely, even with letters from acquaintances," said Lady Dove politely. She was won over by the new secretary's deference.
"I hope you will tabulate them," put in Toney meditatively. "One can see at a glance then if—they are worse off or better off than the others."
"I make a list of everything," said Lady Dove. "You remember, don't you, Anne Faber, how well I kept the callers' book? One could see at a glance if people had not done their duty. I can always manage to show people politely what I think of them."
Mr. Russell murmured his approbation.
"It takes a very little time to book up letters, and I never believe those who say their letters were lost in the post."
"I don't think your letters will take very little time to-day, but, of course, I shall help you," said Toney, thinking of the terrible heaps in the hall.