The Sword of Gideon

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The third day, when we children sat assembled at the base of the fountain, a group of the king's guards stood nearby. Rumors had circulated among the people since the storyteller's arrival in Emmanuel City, and now it seemed the king had become interested in knowing why he was here.

When the noon hour came, we searched the crowds of pedestrians, looking for the Old Storyteller, wondering if we might in some way warn him of the presence of the guards before they seized him. When people displeased the king, they often disappeared. That fact was well known.

I searched the crowds eagerly. I certainly wanted to hear the rest of his story, but now it seemed the only hope of that might be to warn the old man away to safety. I bit my lower lip anxiously, my eyes darting between the marketplace and the king's guards.

They talked amongst themselves and kept looking around, expecting him to show up at this time as he had previously. All of the guards wore swords at their sides and held spears in their hands. They seemed to believe the old man might actually be dangerous.

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