t was sound. They were all on the free list, too, and they knew he
would not trouble to remove them.

Mr. Henry Goldsmith, returning, was rather annoyed at the price, but did
not care to repudiate his agent.

"Be economical," he said. "I will get you a better office and find a
proper publisher and canvasser. But cut it as close as you can."

Raphael's face beamed with joy. "Oh, depend upon me," he said.

"What is your own salary?" asked Goldsmith.

"Nothing," said Raphael.

A flash passed across Goldsmith's face, then he considered a moment.

"I wish you would let it be a guinea," he said. "Quite nominal, you
know. Only I like to have things in proper form. And if you ever want to
go, you know, you'll give me a month's notice and," here he laughed
genially, "I'll do ditto when I want to get rid of you. Ha! Ha! Ha! Is
that a bargain?"

Raphael smiled in reply and the two men's hands met in a hearty clasp.

"Miss Ansell will help you, I know," said Goldsmith cheerily. "That
girl's got it in her, I can tell you. She'll take the shine out of some
of our West Enders. Do you know I picked her out of the gutter, so to
speak?"

"Yes, I know," said Raphael. "It was very good and discriminating of
you. How is she?"

"She's all right. Come up and see her about doing something for you. She
goes to the Museum sometimes in the afternoons, but you'll always find
her in on Sundays, or most Sundays. Come up and dine with us again
soon, will you? Mrs. Goldsmith will be so pleased."

"I will," said Raphael fervently. And when the door closed upon the
communal pillar, he fell to striding feverishly about his little den.
His trust in human nature was restored and the receding wave of
scepticism bore off again the image of Esther Ansell. Now to work for
Judaism!

The sub-editor made his first appearance that day, carolling joyously.

"Sampson," said Raphael abruptly, "your salary is raised by a guinea a
week."

The joyous song died away on little Sampson's lips. His eyeglass
dropped. He let himself fall backwards, impinging noiselessly upon a
heap of "returns" of number one.

CHAPTER V.

A WOMAN'S GROWTH.

The sloppy Sunday afternoon, which was the first opportunity Raphael had
of profiting by Mr. Henry Goldsmith's general invitation to call and see
Esther, happened to be that selected by the worthy couple for a round of
formal visits. Esther was left at home with a headache, little expecting
pleasanter compan