Arthur Conan Doyle

“ What’s the odds?’
‘O Frank, our first investment - our fifty pounds! And to think that I should have kept the paper as a surprise for you!’
‘Well, the print is a little slurred, and it was a very natural mistake. After all, the paper may be wrong. Oh don’t, Maude, please don’t! It’s not worth it - all the gold on the earth is not worth it. There’s a sweet girlie! Now, are you better? ”

“ She clapped her hands with delight.
‘Yes, there is. “This prosperous mine - ” that is what it says. Look here, it is under the heading of Australian Notes,’ she held out the paper and pointed, but his face fell as he looked.
‘O Maude, it’s preposterous.’
‘What is preposterous?’
‘The word is preposterous and not prosperous - “this preposterous mine.”’
‘Frank!’ She turned her face away. ”

“ But suppose they don’t go up.’
‘Well, they can’t go down. I should not think that a share at four shillings and ninepence could go down very much. There is no room. But it may go up to any extent.’
‘Besides, your friend said that they would go up.’
‘Yes, he seemed quite confident about it. Well, what do you think, Maude? Is it good enough or not?’
‘O Frank, I hardly dare advise you. Just imagine if we were to lose it all. Do you think it would be wiser to get a hundred shares, and then we could buy twenty-five pounds’ worth of Royal Bonanza as well. ”