"He says she's such a little duff--" Her natural politeness stopped the word on her tongue.

"They--they don't get on well together." "They'll have to!" said the duke stormily.
Pollyooly said nothing; but she did not look hopeful.
The duke waited for a word of encouragement.

It did not come.

He crumpled up the telegram, threw it into the grate, and said: "But the real question is: will Ronald keep the secret?
Will he be able to ?" "Oh, yes: he'll keep it quite easily," said Pollyooly confidently.
"He's splendid at keeping secrets." The duke gazed at her gloomily and said gloomily: "I can't conceive how on earth you and Ronald got to know one another so well." Pollyooly's eyes opened wider and grew uncommonly limpid.

She said: "Oh, I've been out to lunch with him and to the Varolium--from the Temple." "You have, have you ?" said the duke bitterly.