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‘Fifty thousand—pounds !’ she exclaimed aghast.

‘Ay, lass.’

She tried to speak calmly. ‘Do you mean it’s mine, father?

It’s thine, under thy grandfeyther’s will—haven’t I told thee? I’m bound by law for to give it to thee this day, and thou mun give me a receipt in due form for the securities. Here they are, and here’s the list. Tak’ the list, Anna, and read it to me while I check off.’

She mechanically took the blue paper and read:

‘Toft End Colliery and Brickworks Limited, five hundred shares of ten pounds.’

‘They paid ten per cent. last year,’ he said, ‘and with coal up as it is they’ll pay fiftane this. Let’s see what thy arithmetic is worth, lass. How much is fiftane per cent, on five thousand pun?’

‘Seven hundred and fifty pounds,’ she said, getting the correct answer by a superhuman effort worthy of that occasion.

‘Right,’ said her father, pleased. ‘Recollect that’s more till two pun a day. Go on.’

‘North Staffordshire Railway Company ordinary stock, ten thousand and two hundred pounds.’