“Now” she said to Peter, “you must write me a letter in reply. Then you can have this note.” Leonore rose with the missive in her hand.
“I never answer letters till I’ve received them.” Peter took hold of the slender wrist, and possessed himself of the paper. Then he sat down at his desk and wrote on another sheet:
DEAR MISS D’ALLOI:
I will defend you faithfully and always.
PETER STIRLING
“That isn’t what I said,” remarked Miss D’Alloi. “But I suppose it will have to do.”
“You forget one important thing.”
“What is that?”
“My retaining fee.”
“Oh, dear,” sighed Leonore. “My allowance is nearly gone. Don’t you ever do work for very, very poor people, for nothing?”