Twice before she brought up at the sentry line before the house of the Seleucid, she asked further of other citizens.

Many times she met affront, once or twice she perilously escaped disaster.

At last, near sunset, she stood before the dwelling-place of the one secure citizen of the Holy City.
A sentry dropped his spear across her path and she had not the countersign to give him.

There she and her helpless old attendant stood and looked hopelessly at the refuge denied them.
Presently a man appeared in the colonnade across the front of the house and descending to the sentry line called to him the officer in command.

They stood within a few paces of Laodice and she heard the soldier address the man as John, and heard him deliver a report of the day.
When the soldier withdrew to his place, Laodice stepped forward and called to the Gischalan.