"Feel again," said the latter, good-temperedly; and again the fat hand went to work, and the face looked more solid, but without success. "Must have been in the other box," he said at last. The vicar brightened up at this, and they crossed the church to the north door, but from the scraps of conversation Jared Pellett could hear from the organ-loft, it was evident that the quest was without result. Through waiting for the boy, Jared soon dropped into one of his dreamy moods, and became forgetful of things external, until the tardy Ichabod arrived, out of breath, as if he had been exerting himself strenuously to get to the church in time, when the edifice was soon resounding with strains which drowned the rattling of keys and snapping of locks, as well as the conversation of vicar and churchwarden upon the subject of the missing money; but for all that the conversation went on. "There might have been a great deal taken," said the vicar. "Heaps," acquiesced Mr Timson. "For, of course," said Mr Gray, "this is an exceptional time; and in other instances I doubt whether I should be able to miss anything." "Very true; quite agree with you," said Mr Timson. "Just as you say." "Pounds might have been abstracted," said the vicar. "Abstract, an epitome, a taking from," muttered Mr Timson; "yes, just so, pounds, very true, sir." "Hang it all, Timson, don't be so aggravating," said the vicar, pettishly. "What is the good of agreeing with one in everything, it can't do any good?" "Just so, sir," said Mr Timson; and then, turning very red and hot, "No, sir, of course not; but can't do any harm." "Then for goodness' sake come into the vestry;" and the vicar led the way towards the little robing room to count the offerings of the charitable. "Now, are you sure about that sovereign?" said Mr Timson to the vicar, as they passed down the nave. "Sure!" exclaimed the vicar, "have I not shown you the entry? But there! I must have made a mistake." "Of course you have," said Timson, triumphantly. "For it is impossible," continued the vicar, "for any one to have obtained access to the money; and surely no one would be so cruel as rob the poor, eh? What do you think? Calmly and considerately now?" "Just--," Mr Timson cut off the "so," and rubbed the side of his nose, and looked mysterious. Then, resting one finger upon the vicar's black silk vest, he said, "Once upon a time my desk was robbed--over and over again--without being broken open, and I put in marked money, and still it went; but I found the party out by that plan. And how do you think they got at the money, sir?" "Crooked wire through the crack," said the vicar. "No, no--false keys!" said Mr Timson, wagging his head. "False keys, and it was some one that had constant access to my office that did it."