Part 5 (1/2)

David, so young, so inexperienced in the art of war, had killed the chah the ranks of both armies the news spread like wildfire, and when the Philistines realised what had happened, they were so terrified for fear of what ht follow, that they fled, with the victorious Israelites in hot pursuit, ith cheers and shouts and great slaughter pursued them to the nearest city, and then returned to despoil the tents of the vanquished enes of triumph

And then David, flushed with victory, caiant It is easy to picture Saul's absolute astonish hero of his army was this mere youth, so unlike his other warriors

But he talked long and eagerly with David, asking all sorts of questions about hisGoliath, and while they talked, Jonathan, Saul's son, stood near the tale of victory, he was filled with adhty deed; and, in that instant, as the Bible says, ”the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David,” and the friendshi+p of David and Jonathan was begun

David's eyes flashed back an answering glance of interest to the King's son, and there was a quick response of each to the other And that being so, you can iine the joy of both the youths when Saul told David that he was to go no more home to his father's house to tend his flocks, but was to be thereafter his armour-bearer, or the member of his household who careat piece of news, David glanced proudly at Jonathan, and Jonathan at once led David away and took froarirdle and his sword, which was the greatest honour he could have conferred on David, the sign that he felt David had, by his courageous act, proved himself 's own son, was And, too, he felt such a thrill of affection for this new friend, David, that he could not help doing so to show it And then and always, Jonathan's friendshi+p for David was absolutely free from all taint of jealousy, and he always stood aside, that honours hts of inheritance, should have been his own

And so David began his new life at the court of Saul, with Jonathan, his new friend, and the first happy days passed only too quickly David went out wherever Saul sent hi so well and so wisely that Saul set hiladly obeyed David Although he was so young, he ruled so tactfully that all the people, and even Saul's rew more and more fond of the youth who had killed Goliath, while Jonathan rejoiced in every honour paid to his friend, and had not one bit of envy in his heart, that David was so popular and so powerful But Saul was less noble in nature than Jonathan his son was, and when one day, not long after David had killed Goliath, the men, women and children fro Saul, singing and dancing and playing musical instru--

”Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands”

This ry and very jealous, for it was a revelation of the strength of the national feeling against him, and as he heard the shrill chant he exclaimed with fierce jealousy:

”They have ascribed unto David his ten thousands and to me they have ascribed but thousands, and what can _he_ have dom?”

From that moment, Saul was never fond of David, but always bitterly envious of him, and watched to see how and when he could do the lad an injury

The violence of his rage and jealousy threw him into one of his old paroxysms, and as of old, David was called to soothe hiht of David threw Saul into a still worse fever of er he hurled his spear, the sy:

”I will smite David even to the ith it,” but David was quick enough to avoid it, and when at another tiain slipped aside, and the spear siility of David's ry than before, and increased his fear of the wonderful youth, who of God, which had been taken fro was Saul's dislike of David now, that finally he sent hi him a position where he would have less influence than formerly, for he would be only captain over a thousand men, but the new position only increased David's popularity He ruled those under him with such wisdom that all the people loved hiry than before, and yet afraid of hian to think of another way to rid hiht Goliath, he was proe, if he should be victorious, which promise had not been kept as yet, and now Saul re David his daughter, Merab, as wife, hoping that in this way, he would not only rouse David's gratitude, but ain, for his wife's sake, and Saul hoped that they h in our day, David would have been far too young to think of being s were different, and David accepted the hand of Merab, but at the last h some new caprice of Saul's, the promise was broken and Merab becahter, Michal, who had admired David's behaviour ever since he had been her father's armour-bearer, was as fond of him as her brother, Jonathan was, and when she told her father this, he was greatly pleased and said to hiht the Philistines for her sake and be killed by the that it was no easy , Saul'srequireth no dowry from him, only that he kill a hundred Philistines”

This pleased David, for he was a born warrior, and he did not know that the King's purpose in this agreement was to have hie took place, he was so eager to fulfil the king's request that he and his men went out and killed twice as many Philistines as Saul dery at this, he was obliged to give hie, but from that moment, Saul hated David more fiercely than ever, and was determined to kill him, especially when he saw that the people loved David more and more deeply for his wisdom and bravery

Intent on this purpose, Saul even called his ether and told them that they must kill David, and he told Jonathan this too, and Jonathan, loving David as he did, was filled with fear that his father's wishes would be carried out, and so he hurried to David with the news of his father's co that o to his father and try to alter his feelings

When David heard Saul's cohten him as much as it did Jonathan, for he was almost fearless by nature, but he listened to Jonathan intently, and promised to do what he asked, and as soon as Jonathan had left hione to Saul, David fled to a secret place and hid there, while Jonathan, having sought his father, began to say good things about David, even though he saw there was danger of arousing his father's fierce anger by what he said

But he spoke boldly, because of his love for David, saying: ”Let not the King sin against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee very good For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Philistines, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel Thou sawest it and did rejoice, wherefore then, wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause”

It was a brave thing for Jonathan to speak so frankly to his father, and he would have been iven hie And he had his reward, for not only did Saul listen attentively to hi, swore solemnly:

”As the Lord liveth, he shall _not_ be slain”

Jonathan scarcely waited to hear the words, before he hurried from his father's presence and ran as fast as he could run to David's hiding-place to tell hiood news, that he was not to be killed

And then he insisted that David should go back with hi's court, which David did, and when Saul saw him, old memories stirred in his heart and he welcomed David affectionately as he had done in times past

For a while David remained with Saul and Jonathan and as all went on peacefully, he and Jonathan had ain with the Philistines, and David was sent out to fight the thehter that those who reh Saul was glad of David's victory over the ene and powerful rival again overcame him and he had or pretended to have one of his old attacks of rage, and as in old times, David was called to soothe his infla, Saul was filled with jealous fury, and again hurled his spear at the young ain David slipped aside and escaped it, and the spear hit the wall instead of his body--then he fled to his own house, more worried than he had ever been before; for now he saw clearly that Saul would never give up his purpose to kill him

This he told his wife, Michal, who knew her father's cruel, jealous disposition, even better than Saul did, and was ht, Saul, following out his deteruard David's house and h they did not go into the house to kill him at once, because of an old Oriental superstition that only evil would coht, they planned to enter at daybreak and arrest him

Michal, with a wouessed their purpose and at once she said to David: