"Well, tak' this."
He handed her a ten-pound note.
"Oh, thank you, uncle!" she cried, just on the calm side of effusiveness.
At this point the surprise occurred.
There was another ten-pound note in the cashbox. His fingers went for a stroll on their own account and returned with that note.
"Hold on!" he admonished her for jumping to conclusions. "And this!" And he gave her a second note. He was much more startled than she was.
"Oh, thank you, uncle!" And then, laughing: "Why, it's nearly a sovereign for every year of my life!"
"How old art?"
"Twenty-six."
"I'm gone dotty!" he said to his soul. "I'm gone dotty!" And his eyes watched his fingers take six sovereigns out of the box, and count them into her small white hand. And his cheek felt her kiss.