s true. Raphael had designs more tangibly philanthropic for the
five thousand pounds left him by his aunt. And he was business-like
enough to see that Mr. Goldsmith's money might as well be utilized for
the good of Judaism. He was not quite easy about the little fiction that
would he necessary for the transaction, but the combined assurances of
Mr. Goldsmith and his own common sense that there was no real deception
or harm involved in it, ultimately prevailed. Mr. Goldsmith left,
promising to call again in an hour, and Raphael, full of new hopes,
burst upon the Committee.

But his first experience of bargaining was no happier than the rest of
his worldly experience. When he professed his willingness to relieve
them of the burden of carrying on the paper they first stared, then
laughed, then shook their fists. As if they would leave him to corrupt
the Faith! When they understood he was willing to pay something, the
value of _The Flag of Judah_ went up from less than twopence to more
than two hundred pounds. Everybody was talking about it, its reputation
was made, they were going to print double next week.

"But it has not cost you forty pounds yet?" said the astonished Raphael.

"What are you saying? Look at the posters alone!" said Sugarman.

"But you don't look at it fairly," argued De Haan, whose Talmudical
studies had sharpened wits already super-subtle. "Whatever it has cost
us, it would have cost as much more if we had had to pay our editor, and
it is very unfair of you to leave that out of account."

Raphael was overwhelmed. "It's taking away with the left hand what you
gave us with the right," added De Haan, with infinite sadness. "I had
thought better of you, Mr. Leon."

"But you got a good many twopences back," murmured Raphael.

"It's the future profits that we're losing," explained Schlesinger.

In the end Raphael agreed to give a hundred pounds, which made the
members inwardly determine to pay up the residue on their shares at
once. De Haan also extorted a condition that the _Flag_ should continue
to be the organ of the Kosher Co-operative Society, for at least six
months, doubtless perceiving that should the paper live and thrive over
that period, it would not then pay the proprietor to alter its
principles. By which bargain the Society secured for itself a sum of
money together with an organ, gratis, for six months and, to all
seeming, in perpetuity, for at bottom they knew well that Raphael's
hear