Marshall, General Overseas Manager of World International Airways, was a man dedicated to efficiency. Time was more to him than money. Telephones, dictaphones, electric buzzers, loudspeakers, teleprinters: these were the weapons with which he fought against the erosion of precious hours and minutes. From early morning until late evening his office bustled with swift, efficient movement and the hubbub of urgent conversation. The telephone was a fractious master whose impatient ring must be instantly answered. In such a kingdom Pusey was a lord high chamberlain. He would do, or try to do, anything that was ordered. As he came with a worried frown from the manager’s room Marshall’s voice sounded angrily through the outer office: ‘. . . know as well as I do that we can’t afford mistakes. The first principle of sound business administration . . .’ Pusey closed the door, leaving the three departmental managers to their fate. ‘Mr Campbell’s on the line now, Mr Pusey.’ Miss Peters, Marshall’s smart young secretary, held out the telephone.
