"Never you mind!" She went towards the study, but thinking she might have been hard on her darling in refusing to gratify his curiosity, she turned back, and said:
"I say—if thou wilt, thou mayst do me a job of work some day. I'm wanting a frame made for a piece of writing."
And then she returned to go into the study, carrying her sovereigns in her apron.
"Here, Master Thurstan," said she, pouring them out on the table before her astonished master. "Take it, it's all yours."
"All mine! What can you mean?" asked he, bewildered.
She did not hear him, and went on:
"Lock it up safe, out o' the way. Dunnot go and leave it about to tempt folks. I'll not answer for myself if money's left about. I may be cribbing a sovereign."
"But where does it come from?" said he.
"Come from!" she replied. "Where does all money come from, but the bank, to be sure? I thought any one could tell that."
"I have no money in the bank!" said he, more and more perplexed.