and asked humbly enough what was amiss.  Whereupon the tourist pulled out a pencil and an old envelope, and explained.  “But there,” he broke off, “it would take me a week to go into these matters, and you a deal longer to understand.  I’d enjoy twenty minutes’ talk with your Parson.  The church wants restoration from beginning to end, and by a first-class man.  It deserves no less, for it’s interesting throughout; in some points unique.”  “That would cost money now?” suggested Parson Jack, pitching his voice to the true Langona sing-song.  “Two thousand pounds would go a long way.”—­The tourist scanned the waggon-roof critically, and lowering his eyes, at length observed the Parson’s smile.  “Ah, I see! a sum that would take some collecting hereabouts.  Parson’s none too well off, eh?” “Fifty pounds a year or so.”  “Scandalous!  Who’s the lay impropriator?” He was told.  “Well, but wouldn’t he help?” Parson Jack shook his head; he had never asked a penny from Sir Harry Vyell, who was a notorious Gallio in all that concerned religion.  He had a further reason, too.  He suspected that Sir Harry chafed a little in a careless way at his continuing to hold the living, and would be glad to see him replaced by an incumbent with private means and no failings to be apologised for with a shrug of the shoulders.  Sir Harry, he knew, was aware of these hateful lapses, though too delicate to allude to them, and far too charitable to use them (unless under compulsion) as a lever for getting rid of him.  And this knowledge was perhaps the worst of his shame.  Yet what could he do? since to surrender Langona was to starve.  “Your Parson might at least make a beginning,” pursued the tourist.  “A box, now, inviting donations—­that would cost nothing, and might relieve a visitor here and there of a spare sovereign.  He could put up a second box for himself:  it’s quite a usual thing in churches when the parish priest is poor.  You might make the suggestion, if he’s not too proud.”

“I will,” said Parson Jack, and after the tourist had gone he thought much of these two boxes.  Indeed, he made and fixed up the first that same week, though he labelled it “For Church Repairs,” fighting shy of “Restoration” as too magniloquent.  The second cost him long searchings of heart, and he walked over and laid the case before Parson Kendall, Rector of the near parish of St. Cadox, a good Christian and a good fellow, with whom he sometimes smoked a pipe.  “Why not?” answered Parson Kendall; “it’s the most ordinary thing in the world.”  “But Sir Harry may not like it.”  The Rector chuckled.  “If he doesn’t, he’ll consult me; and I shall ask him why he hunts a pack by subscription.”

So the second box was nailed beside the first, and excited little discussion.  Indeed, the pair hung in so obscure a corner—­behind the font—­that at the first service only Parson Jack and the Widow Copping were aware of them.  The Parson stumbled and hesitated so badly over the prayers that one or two worshippers felt sure he had been drinking; which was not the fact.  The Widow Copping took no interest in collecting-boxes; and, besides, she could not read.  So the innovation missed fire.  Moreover, it suggested neither popery nor priestcraft, and only a fool would suspect Parson Flood of either.