"This Penny creature will explain who pawned it, and he will give the name of the person Mrs Jeal said resembled you. He might do that if the matter were made public by advertisement. If we approach him privately he will very likely deny everything. We can't be too careful, Leo."
"But the reward," said Haverleigh, puzzled. "I have no money; you have no money. What will you do?"
"When the cup is back, or if information is given likely to recover it, I am sure my father can arrange about the money with Mrs Gabriel. Now do not say a word, Leo. She has nothing to do with you now. And, after all," added Sybil, naïvely, "I don't see why any money need pass. This is a trap I am laying for that pawnbroker. That is if Mrs Jeal's story is true, which I am inclined to doubt. I'll put the advertisement in on chance, Leo, and see what comes of it."
"But it is such a mad idea," remonstrated the young man, who could not follow all these feminine arguments. "Let me tell Pratt about your suggestion. He will be able to advise us."
Sybil rose to her feet and shook her head obstinately. "If you say a word to Mr Pratt I'll never forgive you. Let me try this experiment all alone, Leo, dear. It can do no harm, and it might do a lot of good. We must not tell anyone about it."
"Sybil, I kept the fact of my borrowing that money from Hale a secret, and I have regretted it ever since. Let us ask Pratt's advice."
"No, Leo." Sybil was still obstinate. "I want to try this myself. If it fails it can do no harm, and if it succeeds I shall have the joy of knowing that it was I who got you out of this trouble. Now promise not to tell!"
At first Leo refused. He did not want Sybil to mix herself up in this disagreeable case even for his sake. But she used such endearments, and kept to her point with such pertinacity, that he gave in. It was useless to contend against Sybil when she set her heart on getting anything. She never would give in, however discouraged. Therefore, before she left the library, she had drawn out an advertisement with the assistance of Leo, in which the appearance of the cup and its Latin inscription were carefully set down. A reward of fifty pounds was offered, and the answers were to be sent to S. T., at the Colester Post-office.
"There!" said Sybil, when this document was completed, "I have set my trap. Now we shall see who will fall into it. I'll make a dozen copies at once, and have them sent off by to-morrow. Not a word, Leo, about this."
"I will be silent, as I have promised. All the same, I do not feel comfortable about your experiment. To tell you the truth, Sybil, I can't see the sense of it. Now, don't look angry, dear. I know it is all done out of love for me."