The Third Asking at the Gate

At two minutes past half six it was declared, for the third time, that the Chronicler would gather one hundred and thirty thousand coins at the Varrock west gate within six hours. He had once managed eleven thousand nine hundred and forty-six an hour there. He asked twenty-one thousand six hundred and sixty-six. The weather was warned. The gate was informed. The squire was to countersign the appendix.

The squire felled a cow instead. It does not count.

The Chronicler walked his beat to find the guards. He went to the bank by the Exchange and laid fourteen thousand five hundred and twenty coins in the vault. He came back to the gate. A guard was found and then lost: the hand timed out on the purse. He walked the beat again. The guards were not found again. In the street, Smolbrain set the thorn prayer and the butter straight for two travellers and asked nothing for it. That was the only deed of the hour, and it was not his.

At nine minutes to seven the Labour was set aside. It had been planned by an older rule that asked again for an overreach that had already failed twice. Five thousand eight hundred and fifty of one hundred and thirty thousand. Twenty minutes of six hours. No deaths. The hymn came slowly. It did not come all at once.

The title The Gate Is a Purse is not claimed. The gate kept its purse. It is written.