artedness that bound others to him. At the time
of this story he was a sort of outlaw, driven without any good reason
from the court of Saul. But he was a man of too much spirit to allow
himself to be tamely killed, and he loved Saul and his family too well
to actually make war upon him, and he was too good a patriot to give
trouble to his country--a pretty hard place he had to fill, I can assure
you. But he was equal to it, and simply bided his time, drawing off into
the wild and rocky regions where he could hide and also protect himself.
But he was not a man whom people would leave alone. The magnetic power
that was in him drew kindred spirits, and some that were not kindred who
found it pleasanter to follow a chief in the wilds than to live in the
dull quiet of their homes. But the greater part of them were brave,
generous, devoted souls, who had come to the conclusion that to live
with David and fight his battles and share his fortunes was more
enjoyable than to plod along under Saul and his petty tyrannies. There
were, in particular, eleven men of the tribe of Gad--mountaineers--fierce
as lions and swift as roes, terrible men in battle, and full of devotion
to David. In this way he got together quite a little army, which he used
to defend the borders from the Philistines, who were a thieving set, and
also to defend himself in case Saul troubled him. It was not exactly the
best sort of a life for a man to live; and had not David been a person
of very high principles, his followers would have been a band of robbers
living on the country. But David prevented that, and made them as useful
as was possible. His headquarters were at the cave of Adullam, or what
is now called Engedi. While here, the Philistines came on a foraging
expedition as far as Bethlehem, and with so large a force that David and
his few followers were shut up in their fortress--for how long we do not
know--probably for some days. It was very dull and wearisome business,
imprisoned in a rocky defile and unable to do anything, while the
Philistines were stealing the harvests that grew on the very spot where
he had spent his boyhood.

It was then that what has always seemed to me a very touching and
beautiful trait of David's character showed itself, and that is--_a
feeling of homesickness_. Now, there is very little respect to be had
for a person who is not capable of homesickness. To give up to it may be
weak, but to be incapable of it is a bad sign. B