Motion Picture Story Magazine (Feb-Jul 1912)

66 THE MOTION PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE great salvation thru him for all Israel ? "Wherefore, then, wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause ? ' ' ''Thou seest," roared the angry Saul, turning to his assembled courtiers, "my son prefers this David to his kingly father. Where is the man who will rid me of this shepherd upstart?" "Here!" called a dozen voices, as swords were unsheathed and offered before the king. "Thou, Abner," declared Saul, ' ' art appointed to this task, which my son refuses. See thou to it that this traitor troubleth me not again ! ' ' Jonathan waited to hear no more. Away thru the streets, lying silent in the hush of the early morning, he sped to the house of David and Michal, where he quickly acquainted them with this unexpected danger. "Oh, how canst this be true?" sobbed Michal. "But yesterday our father gave me to David — now thou sayest that he would slay him ! Surely, some grievous mistake is here ! ' ' "I trust it is but a passing madness that has seized the king, our father," comforted Jonathan. "I will return to the court and seek diligently to bring his mind to a better state. But be on thy guard, my sister, and thou, too, David, my more than brother! Let not thyself be entrapped by thy foes." But even as Jonathan spake, Michal gave a shriek of alarm. "They are here!" she cried. "Abner and a dozen of his men are before our gates even now." "As the Lord liveth," said David quietly, "I have ever been the king's loyal servant ; yet, truly, there is now but a step between me and death ! ' ' "Nay," declared Michal, her dark eyes glowing with sudden purpose, ' ' thou shalt not be slain, my beloved ! Here, from this window will we lower thee, while the soldiers are even yet employed with the gates in front. Fly, my David — there is yet time!" She dragged the two men to a rear window, opening upon a narrow, deserted court. "See!" she gasped, "with this rope will we lower thee. The soldiers will not harm me, the daughter of the king. Fly thou to the high priest's temple ! There they will not seek thee, and when I have cooled my father's anger, thou shalt safely return. Go, my loved one ; the God that hath led thee thru many dangers shall yet preserve thee ! ' ' With a last, tender embrace, David was gone, and Michal and Jonathan turned to confront the invading soldiers. Deaf to entreaties and commands, they refused to betray the mode or direction of David's flight, even when Saul himself came upon the scene and added his voice to the angry threats of the soldiers. "Stay!" shouted Saul, suddenly. "Where would such a youth betake himself but to the temple? Hast he not ever relied upon the God of his fathers? It is there we shall find him!" A low, despairing wail broke from Michal, and at the sound the king's face brightened. "See, I spake truly!" he exclaimed. "Let us hasten to the temple." At this instant David was bowing before the priest Ahimelech, recounting his woes. "Now give me, I pray thee, but one weapon which thou hast blest," begged the youth, "and let me take the weapon and escape into the fields. There in a cave will I tarry until Jonathan shall have made me at peace with my king again. To the cave of Adullam will I flee, only do thou give me a weapon with thy blessing. ' ' "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the Valley of Elah, is here," answered the priest. "Behold, it is wrapped in a cloth, behind the ephod. Take it, if thou wilt ; there is no other here. ' ' Away sped David, his heart lightened by the good priest 's blessing and the gift of the sword. He was confident that so remote a spot as the cave of Adullam would not be thought of by the soldiers, and that