n which David had been victorious, the evil
spirit came again upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in
his hand, while David played on the harp. Again he tried to kill
David, but the spear struck the wall and David slipped away.

[Illustration: The spear struck the wall]

It was clear that David could not live near the king, and so he talked
with Jonathan, his friend, who said,

"God forbid, thou shalt not die," but David said,

"Truly there is but a step between me and death."

Then they made a promise to each other before the Lord that should last
while they lived. They promised to show "the kindness of the Lord" to
each other while life should last.

Jonathan told David that he might go away for three days, and they went
out into a field together. They feared the anger of Saul when he found
that David was absent from the feast of the new moon. So Jonathan told
David to return after three days and hide behind a great rock in the
field. Then Jonathan said he would come out and shoot three arrows
from his bow, as if he were shooting at a mark, and he would send his
arrow-bearer to pick them up. If he should call to the lad, "The
arrows are on this side of thee," David would know that Saul was not
angry, and would not hurt him, but if he cried, "The arrows are beyond
thee," David would know he was in danger and must go away.

On the second day of the feast, Saul asked why David was not there, and
Jonathan told him he had asked permission to go away for three days.
Then Saul was very angry. He blamed his son for loving David, for, as
Saul's son, Jonathan should be king after his death, but he never would
be if David lived, and he commanded Jonathan to bring him that he might
put him to death. When Jonathan asked what evil David had done that he
should be put to death, Saul cast his spear at his own son. Then
Jonathan knew there was no hope for David, and left the table in sorrow.

The next day he went out to the rock in the field with his armor-bearer
and sent him on before. When he shot an arrow, he cried:

"The arrow is beyond thee; make haste! stay not!"

And David, in his hiding place heard it, and knew that he must flee for
his life.

Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the lad to take to the town,
and David came out from his hiding place, and they kissed each other
and wept together. But at last Jonathan said:

"Go in peace: as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord,