He says that father has to have the money, and he and father have laid out work for me that will keep me here till the middle of January.

John says that the government inspector has been threatening us with serious trouble in the bank lately, and we must have the money.

He says the times have forced us to do certain things that were technically wrong--though I guess they were criminally wrong from what he says, and we must have this money to make things good.

So I am compelled to stay here and work.

Father commands me to stay in a way that makes me fear that my coming home now would mean our ruin.