it was laid
on with the full strength of that muscular arm. Now a horrible murmur
from the throat of Joseph forced him to turn against his will.

The face of David was filled, not with anger, but with cruel disdain;
under his flying lash the welts leaped up on the back of Joseph, but he,
with his eyes shut and his head strained far back, endured. Only through
his teeth, each time he drew breath, came that stifled moan, and he
shuddered at each impact of the whip. Now his eyes opened, and through
the mist of pain a brutal hatred glimmered at Connor. That flare of rage
seemed to sap the last of his strength, for now his face convulsed,
tears flooded down, and his head dropped. Instantly the hand of David
paused.

Something had snapped in Connor at the same time that the head of Joseph
fell, and while he wiped the wet from his face he only vaguely saw
Joseph hurry down the corridor, with Zacharias carrying the whip behind.

But the master? There was neither cruelty nor anger in his face as he
turned to the table and filled with milk the wooden cup which Zacharias
had brought.

"This is my prayer," he said quietly, "that in the justice of David
there may never be the poison of David's wrath." 79

He drained the cup, broke a morsel of bread from the loaf and ate it.
Next he filled the second cup and handed it to the gambler.

"Drink."

Automatically Connor obeyed.

"Eat."

In turn he tasted the bread.

"And now," said the master, in the deep, calm voice, "you have drunk
with David in his house, and he has broken bread with you. Hereafter may
there be peace and good will between us. You have given a free gift to
one of my people, and he who gives clothes to David's people keeps David
from the shame of nakedness; and he who puts bread in the mouths of
David's servants feeds David himself. Stay with me, therefore, Benjamin,
until you find in the Garden the thing you desire, then take it and go
your way. But until that time, what is David's is Benjamin's; your will
be my will, and my way be your way."

He paused.

"And now, Benjamin, you are weary?"

"Very tired."

"Follow me."

It seemed well to Connor to remove himself from the eye of the master as
soon as possible. Not that the host showed signs of anger, but just as
one looks at a clear sky and forebodes hard weather because of misty
horizons, so the gambler guessed the frown behind David's eyes. He was
glad to turn into the door which was opened for hi