… they knew that, barring a miracle, they would never be able to save the large cash outlay required …
barring
/ˈbär-iŋ/
preposition
excluding by exception : excepting
verb
to fasten with a long, narrow piece of wood, metal, or other material : to fasten with a bar
to place bars across to prevent ingress or egress
to mark with straight stripes, bands, or lines that are much longer than they are wide : to mark with bars : stripe
bar the door