Mr.Layard headed the subscription list with a handsome sum.

And so forth.
Now the details of these various arrangements could not conveniently be settled without many interviews, and thus very soon it came about that scarcely a day went by upon which Mr.Layard's dog-cart did not pass through the Abbey gates.

Generally he came in the morning and stopped to lunch; or he came in the afternoon and stopped to tea.

In fact, or thus it seemed to Morris, he always stopped to something, so much so that although not lacking in hospitality, at times Morris found his presence wearisome, for in truth the two men had nothing in common.
"He must have turned over a new leaf with a vengeance, for he never would give a sixpence to anything during old Tomley's time," remarked Morris to Stella.

"I suppose that he has taken a great fancy to your father, which is a good thing for the parish, as those Layards are richer than Croesus." "Yes," answered Stella with a curious little smile.
But to herself she did not smile; for, if Morris found his visitor a bore, to Stella he was nothing short of an infliction, increased rather than mitigated by numerous presents of hot-house fruit and flowers offered to herself, and entailing, each of them, an expression of thanks verbal or written.