It was rumoured that the trustees of St.Asaph's Church were putting their heads together.

This was striking news.

The last time that the head of Mr.Lucullus Fyshe, for example, had been placed side by side with that of Mr.Newberry, there had resulted a merger of four soda-water companies, bringing what was called industrial peace over an area as big as Texas and raising the price of soda by three peaceful cents per bottle.

And the last time that Mr.Furlong senior's head had been laid side by side with those of Mr.Rasselyer-Brown and Mr.Skinyer, they had practically saved the country from the horrors of a coal famine by the simple process of raising the price of nut coal seventy-five cents a ton and thus guaranteeing its abundance.
Naturally, therefore, when it became known that such redoubtable heads as those of the trustees and the underlying mortgagees of St.Asaph's were being put together, it was fully expected that some important development would follow.

It was not accurately known from which of the assembled heads first proceeded the great idea which was presently to solve the difficulties of the church.