"Isn't there the family lawyer?" Ben asked. "He wouldn't give you away, even if he wasn't too sympathetic. And it's part of his business to raise money."
"The family lawyer!" the girl exclaimed, almost angrily. "You don't suppose I should bother you if I could go to him? Oh, forgive me if I sounded sharp," she said. "But I'm all out. I never slept a wink last night. But of course I couldn't go to him—he and father are much too thick. And if father knew of this, I don't know what would happen. You see it happened once before. Not so badly, but badly enough."
"Ah!" said Ben. "And you gave a promise?"
"Yes," the girl admitted. "And I meant to keep it. But this time I swear I will. What I want you to do," she went on, "is to be so kind as to tell me how money is raised. Couldn't I borrow it?"
"I'm sure you could," said Ben. "But the rate of interest would be very high, and how about paying it back?"
"Yes," said the girl, ruefully. "That's just it. I thought of that."
"And you'd have to give some security," said Ben.
"Yes," said the girl. "I thought of that too. Everything's against me."
"What about selling some jewellery? Or better still," Ben asked, "that mesh bag?"