"No harm if we had," said Steven, contentiously. But Mollie looked at Gwynne in dread. "No, no--we didn't say a thing--we didn't say a word, Gwynne--but he just happened to say that debts were sometimes compromised--you took some, not all, you know, but you didn't have any lawsuit----" "If we could get a little----" said Eleanor anxiously. "A _little_! That's like a woman!" said Steven in strong disgust. "A _little_! Don't you pay any attention to 'em, Gwynne!" "Do you need money, Cousin Eleanor?" asked Gwynne gently. Mollie began to cry hysterically again. "We don't want you to advance any, Gwynne," said old Eleanor, trembling and turning very pale. "You've done that before, and--and now you will need all your money for poor Sam. And--and besides, Gwynne, I--I--we're not fit to be trusted with money--I--I was going to tell you, only it's so hard--but we're--we're--we've been very wicked women!" She burst out sobbing. Gwynne might have smiled at this lurid statement from two such timid, plaintive and abjectly respectable old maiden ladies if the circumstances had left him any heart for smiling. "Why, what's the matter, Cousin Eleanor?--don't cry that way!" he said, distressed. "It's not your fault, you know. Now I promise you I'll see about it--I'll get your money for you--these things are bound to take a little time, you know----" "Huh! You said that before--you've said it a dozen times!" said Steven. He looked at Gwynne with open suspicion. "Will you come with me over to Pallinder's office now?"