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Answer
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Dawn
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was
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coming.
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The
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Waystone
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inn
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lay
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in
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silence,
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and
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it
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was
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a
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silence
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of
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three
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parts.
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The
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most
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obvious
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part
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was
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a
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vast
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echoing
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quiet
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made
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by
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things
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that
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were
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lacking.
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If
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there
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had
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been
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a
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storm
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raindrops
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would
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have
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tapped
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and
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pattered
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against
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the
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selas
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vines
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behind
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the
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inn.
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Thunder
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Answer
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would
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have
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muttered
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and
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rumbled
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and
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chased
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the
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silence
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down
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the
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road
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like
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fallen
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autumn
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leaves.
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If
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there
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had
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been
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travelers
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stirring
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in
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their
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rooms
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they
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would
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have
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streached
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and
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grumbled
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the
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silence
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away
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like
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fraying,
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half-forgotten
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dreams.
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If
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there
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had
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been
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music,
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but
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no.
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of
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course
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there
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was
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no
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music.
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In
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Answer
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fact
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there
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were
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none
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of
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these
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things
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and
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so
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the
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silence
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remained.
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Inside
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the
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Waystone
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a
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dark
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haired
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man
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eased
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the
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backdoor
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closed
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behind
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himself.
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Moving
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through
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the
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perfect
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dark,
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he
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crept
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through
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the
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kitchen,
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across
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the
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taproom,
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and
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down
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the
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basement
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stairs.
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With
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the
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ease
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of
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long
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experience,
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he
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avoided
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loose
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Answer
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boards
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that
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might
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groan
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or
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sigh
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beneath
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his
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weight.
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Each
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slow
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step
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made
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only
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the
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barest
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tep
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against
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the
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floor.
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in
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doing
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this
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he
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added
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his
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small,
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fertive
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silence
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to
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the
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larger
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echoing
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one.
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They
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made
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an
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amalgom
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of
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sorts.
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a
|
|
counterpoint.
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The
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third
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silence
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was
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not
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an
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easy
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thing
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to
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notice.
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|
Answer
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If
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you
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listened
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long
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enough
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you
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might
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begin
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to
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feel
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it
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in
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the
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chill
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of
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the
|
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window
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glass
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and
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|
smooth
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|
plaster
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walls
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of
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the
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innkeeper's
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|
room.
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It
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was
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in
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the
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dark
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chest
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|
that
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lay
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at
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the
|
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foot
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of
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a
|
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hard
|
|
and
|
|
narrow
|
|
bed.
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And
|
|
it
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was
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in
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the
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hands
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of
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the
|
|
man
|
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|
Answer
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who
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lay
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there,
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motionless,
|
|
watching
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for
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the
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first
|
|
pale
|
|
hint
|
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of
|
|
dawns
|
|
coming
|
|
light.
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The
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|
man
|
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had
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true
|
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red
|
|
hair,
|
|
red
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|
as
|
|
flame.
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|
His
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|
eyes
|
|
were
|
|
dark
|
|
and
|
|
distant,
|
|
and
|
|
he
|
|
lay
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|
with
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|
the
|
|
resigned
|
|
air
|
|
of
|
|
one
|
|
who
|
|
has
|
|
long
|
|
abandoned
|
|
any
|
|
hope
|
|
of
|
|
sleep.
|
|
The
|
|
Waystone
|
|
was
|
|
his,
|
|
just
|
|
as
|
|
|
Answer
|
|
the
|
|
third
|
|
silence
|
|
was
|
|
his.
|
|
This
|
|
was
|
|
appropriate,
|
|
as
|
|
it
|
|
was
|
|
the
|
|
greatest
|
|
silence
|
|
of
|
|
three,
|
|
holding
|
|
the
|
|
others
|
|
inside
|
|
itself.
|
|
It
|
|
was
|
|
deep
|
|
and
|
|
wide
|
|
as
|
|
autumn's
|
|
ending.
|
|
It
|
|
was
|
|
heavy
|
|
as
|
|
a
|
|
great
|
|
river
|
|
smoothed
|
|
stone
|
|
it
|
|
was
|
|
the
|
|
patient,
|
|
cut-flower
|
|
sound
|
|
of
|
|
a
|
|
man
|
|
who
|
|
is
|
|
waiting
|
|
to
|
|
die.
|
|