MRS. LLOYD-EVANS: The grandmother said something about the baby, as she called it, but of course I stopped that at once. They can hardly earn enough to keep themselves, as it is, and if there was any question of Fanny being allowed to keep the child, it would simply amount, as I told her, to putting a premium upon immorality. Of course, if one knew who the man was, pressure could be brought to bear on him, but I don’t believe for an instant that it’s a case of the girl having been seduced. She’s probably a thorough little bad lot. Quite likely she doesn’t know who the father is. I’m told that some of these London girls are frightfully--promiscuous. MRS. AKERS: I don’t know how to believe that--at fifteen! I’m afraid it may have been somebody down here, you know. MRS. LLOYD-EVANS: Oh please don’t suggest such a thing. It’s the last thing we want to have established. Just think of the talk! As it is, if we don’t press the question, we can get the girl away quietly and nothing be known about it. MRS. BALLANTYNE: You think we shan’t get anything out of her? MRS. LLOYD-EVANS: Nothing, nor her mother either, according to her own account. The old grandmother began some story about an assault having perhaps been made on the girl, and she too frightened to tell; but as I said, if that sort of thing was new to her, a girl’s first impulse would be to rush to her mother with the story, and if she didn’t, it only showed that she thought nothing of it. MRS. AKERS (_thoughtfully_): I wonder if _I_ could get anything out of her? I’ve a very good mind to go home that way. One dreads having to deal with this sort of sad case, but after all, it’s charity. I could put the old grandmother into her place once and for all, as you say she’s disposed to be tiresome, and make Fanny herself understand that we only want to help her. After all, we’ve all read our Bible, I hope: “Which amongst you shall cast the first stone?” MRS. BALLANTYNE: As the mother of a girl myself, I was wondering if _I_ ought not to talk to Fanny, perhaps. Goodness knows, it’s a miserable affair, but the world is what it is, and it’s no use _shrinking_ from these things. MRS. LLOYD-EVANS (_displeased_): As it was I who made this very sad and perplexing discovery, I think I had better be the person to see the business through. Naturally, one consults the Committee, but I can’t help feeling that there had better be only one intermediary between the Committee and the girl’s family. It’s more business-like, and one must be business-like. MRS. BALLANTYNE: Oh, certainly! MRS. AKERS: But this isn’t an official meeting, is it? We’ve had no notes taken, or anything. And we haven’t passed any resolution. Now, I should like to propose that I write to-night to St. Mary Magdalene’s Home and try and arrange to get Fanny taken in there as soon as possible, and kept till after the birth of the child. MRS. BALLANTYNE: I second that.