Times-promoter., 1907-01-11

dered those men who had counseled
surrender to be slain. And the days
which followed had been bloody days
in All. Relentlessly he searched the
city for any who had shown fear or
who had suggested surrender, and
had them executed in the public
square as an example to others in
the city, for said he:
"Ai is made weak by their pres
ence. Death to all who would fear
before Israel or bow down to their
God! Our gods be the true gods!
We will serve them!"
And so the days following the de-
feat of Israel had been bloody feasts
days in All, for with the killing Of
those who had incurred the kings
displeasure, the whole city had given
itself up to all manner of excesses.
Such was the state of things when
one evening word was brought to the
| king that armed Israelites were seen
to enter the valley below the city,
and were making their camp in plain
view of the city. Immediately the
king went out and from the high tow
er on the walls at the city's gate he
watched the little army make its po-
sition secure for the night.
Some of his officers counseled that
| they go out at once against them and
under the cover of darkness attack
the camp, but the king with an oath
forbade, saying:
May, for in the darkness they would
fee and many would escape. On the
morrow early we will surround and
destroy them. None shall escape"
So it was that on the morrow ear
ly the king and all the men of All
for every man was eager for opportu-
nifty of falling upon the Israelites-
issued forth from the gates and de-
scended upon the little army gathered
in the valley below.
1--WE will pursue them to the very
place where their wives and children
are encamped," the king declared,
boastfully "We will destroy them
utterly"
Thus confidently the king and his
great army hastened forward, and al
most before they had come within
striking distance of their enemies the
latter broke ranks and fled away in
terror, as they had done on the for
mer occasion. With a fierce, wild
shout, the king and his whole army
took up the pursuit. Throwing aside
the heavier parts of their armor that
they might run the more swiftly, the
king and his men sped on, shouting
and brandishing their spears in the
air, while the archers in the rear
sent into the air veritable cloud of
arrows. But these latter fell short OF
the fleeing lines of the Israelites, for
they had already secured good lead.
On. on, pursued and pursuers went,
until warning cry of mingled fear
and dismay caused the king to look
back.
What was that lurid glare in the
heavens? That was not the sunrise!
No! For the sun at that very moment
was rising in the other quarter of the
heavens, and his dull red glow seemed
to pale before the brighter, fercer
light which crowned the hill on which
their city stood. Flames leaped and
curled upward as though striving to
see which could first reach the blue
vaults of the sky, while the clouds Of
smoke crept lazily across the horizon.
The kings heart stood still. With
pale face and wildlystaring eyes, he
watched the terrible sight. He and
his army were dazed by the spec
tacle, and fairly paralyzed with fear.
What could it mean? Each man
asked himself. And then as they |
saw a multitude of men rising on
every hand and rushing down the
hill towards them, and heard behind |
them warning shout as the fleeing |!
Israelites turned and came back at !
them, they became panic-stricken and
broke ranks and fed in every direc-
ton.
The king and his bodyguard sought
refuge in the thick underground and
made their way as rapidly as they
could toward the north, where they
hoped that they would be able to find
some friendly ally that would take
them in and give them shelter.
Bitter were. the thoughts of the
king as he thus made his way, torn