Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-08-28
. reientiessiy sought his life pas .e !,

4
were dead" he muttered. And this
night shall determine which," and he
set his teeth firmly. and took 4 step
nearer the encamped army.
III / had improved my opportunity
when God gave my enemy into my
hands in the cave, should have beer
saved this hard nights trip" David
continued. as the memory of that ex
perience in the cave in the wilderness
OF Engedi came to him. but sure
ly thought that when I spared Mis-
life tnat he would cease troubling me
Yea, l thought he would even have
suffered me to go and dwell peace
ably among my people. But what
hath he done? Rewarded me evil
Tor good. And now what sesmeth
to remain for me save to fight 70, my
life" and he let his hand fall to his
side and caressed the dagger which
hung there. as though II was tho only
friend left him.
Master. 1t were we'll that we were
| pressing forward II thou wouldst
reach the side Of thy enemy before
the breaking of the morning light"
Abishai said. pointing To the faint
show OF gray light in the eastern
sky.
Thus aroused. David readiusted his
light garments, again felt OF his short
sword. and then stealthily crept for
ward. His long years OF training In
the wilderness as he lived in the fast
nesses OF the mountains and the for
ests had given him a tread as soft
and noiseless as that OF a cat. and
David and Abishai found no difficulty
In treading their way through the
open ranks of the soldiers of Saul as
they lay stretched out in deep slum.
Der.
IL had been a long. hard march
which they had had the day before.
and when they had gone into camp
at night, the soldiers OF Saul were
only too glad to stretch their weary
bodies on the soft. yielding ground
aud give themselves over to refresh
ing siumber. Ii would seem strange
that there should have been no
guard placed or precautions taken
against surprise. but the Ziphite
guides had treasured Saul that IL
was impossible for large body of
men to get through from the strong.
hold where David lay entrenched to
the place where Saurs camp was
pitched without their movements be
coming known. and they said: "A
small body will not venture against
so splendid company of men" Thus
encouraged. Saul and his men had
sought much needed nights rest.
and when David and Abishai reached
the camp the deep sleep of the early
morning was upon them, so that
even had their tread not been so light
they would not have disturbed the
tired sleepers
On and on they crept. until the
outer bodyguard of Saul was reached
| Here the two men paused. scarcely
breathing lest they rouSe some watch.
full soldier. David looked about him
and noted the place where Saul Law
and then, cautiously creeping around
the inert forms lying all about. he
reached the side of the king.
How haSgard and ptiful was that
countenance. David was shocked by
the lines of wretched agony which ap.
peared as the facial musclcv were re.
Taxed in sleep. He saw written there
the tragedy OF that life. He noted
the sunken eyes. the dropping mouth
and the nervous. irregular breathing
which indicated that even in sleep
there was no peace or rest for the
man who had rejected the Lord. As
David looked closer and examined tho
features they told him all the sad story
of the years of soul torture which
had come to this man because of his
willful, unrepentant dsobedience Of
Gods commandments. and David's
heart smote him and his hand relaxed
its hold upon the dagger at his side.
And then David contrasted lis own
| inner peace and confidence I'm God
What If the outward conditions had
been trying and desperate: what II he
had been driven from place TO place
so that in no region did he feel secure.
was his lot not better than that of the
man with the guilty conscience he.
fore him who was lighting against
God? After all. Saul was suffering
| the most
Abishai watched David closely. He
noted the relaxed features. nay the
almost look Of compassion which had
taken the place Of the set. determined
| expression Of fierce anger Now he
| stepped TO David's side and said. with
vehemence: God hath delivered
thine enemy into thine hand this day
| now therefore let me smite him. I
pray thee, with the spear to the earth
at once"
David looked up startled. nay al.
most guilty as he realized how
hatred in his heart had almost
plunged him into an awful crime.
Nay, he said, slowly. God shall
be my avenger. Destroy not; for who
can stretch forth his band aca.ns;