het still spoke on: "I have a parable to tell thee, O mighty
King. I saw, sitting upon his lofty throne, one mightier than thou--the
King of kings; and upon his right hand and upon his left were ranged all
the host of heaven. And he said, 'Who shall persuade the Lord of Israel
to go up against Ramoth-Gilead to his destruction?' And various counsel
was given from different sources. At last, a Power spoke, and offered to
go forth as a lying spirit in the mouth of all the king's prophets. The
Lord answered him, 'Go, and thou shalt likewise succeed.' This, O
monarch, is my parable: a lying spirit has gone forth into thy prophets;
for truly, Jehovah hath spoken evil concerning thee."

At these words, the man who had made himself so especially prominent in
predicting good fortune to the expedition came up to the prophet, and
struck him upon the cheek, with an insulting speech; and the king
commanded that he should be carried to the governor of the city, and
kept closely confined, upon bread and water, until he returned in peace
and triumph, having conquered all his enemies. But the prophet answered,
"If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me."

But, unrestrained by any thing he said, the two princes went forth to
the battle. More completely to insure his safety, the Israelitish
monarch disguised himself, and requested the King of Judah to wear his
royal robes, which he accordingly did. But the Syrians had received
orders to aim only at the enemy's head and leader, and not to attack the
common people. This nearly caused the death of the King of Judah, who
wore his friend's conspicuous garments, and who was pursued, and almost
slain, before the mistake was discovered. But notwithstanding his
precaution in wearing a counterfeit dress, the fated king did not
escape. An arrow, shot by chance, struck him in a vital part, and he
died. When the death of their lord was known, all Israel fled in dismay,
and every man sought the shelter of his own home. We may presume that
the true prophet was liberated from his confinement, and that the base
and impudent impostor was punished as he deserved.

"Are not these kings near relatives of 'the good grandmother?'" said
Charlie Bolton.

"You are right," replied Mary. "They are her father, Ahab, and her
father-in-law, Jehoshaphat. Who was the true prophet, and who the
false?"

"The true prophet was Micaiah, the son of Imlah; and the other--I think
his horns should have b