n the redoubt, drumming the usual
signal for a parley. It was soon answered from the walls, and Gideon,
with much ceremony and importance, arrived with his musical appendage
before the gate. The requisite formalities being gone through, the
drawbridge was lowered, and this parliamentary representative was
speedily admitted through a little wicket into the Babylon which he
abhorred. His very feet seemed in danger of defilement. He looked as if
breathing the very atmosphere of pollution; but when ordered to kneel
down that he might be blindfolded, his spirit rose indignantly at the
command.

"Ye be contemners and despisers of our holy heritage. I have not bowed
the knee to Baal, nor will I worship the beast or they that have his
name on their foreheads. Do with me as ye list. Ye would cover mine eyes
that your iniquities may be hidden;--but ye shall suddenly be destroyed,
and none shall deliver."

A loud laugh was the answer to this denunciation; for truly it were a
marvellous thing to hear an ignorant, arrogant drummer, misapply and
profane the words of Holy Writ, wresting the Scriptures to their
destruction, if not his own.

In the outer court soldiers were playing at span-counter with silver
moneys, which Gideon observing, again lifted up the voice of warning and
rebuke.

"But destruction cometh upon them, even as upon a woman in"----

"Peace, thou spirit of a drum-stick!" cried one of them, and, as though
he were playing at chuck-farthing, he threw a tester between his teeth;
for the soldiers had about fifty pounds amongst them in silver coin, but
it was of no use except as so many counters, which they lent one another
by handfuls without telling. Sometimes one soldier had won the whole,
then another; but if they had been heaps of the rarest jewels they had
been of less worth than pebble-stones.

Gideon's speech was marred in the delivery; thinking he had been hit
with a stone, he sputtered out the offending morsel; but, seeing the
coin with the king's image and superscription, he gathered it up again.

"This shall be to me for a prey, even a spoil, as Moses spoiled the
Egyptians." Saying this Gideon thrust the king's money into his pocket,
and consented to be blindfolded, as was customary, in order that he
should not act the spy in his progress. He heard many gates unbarred,
many sentries challenged, and the pass-words demanded. Indeed the order
and discipline throughout was of an excellent and well-contrived