Some NPCs show up, others don't

Authoring Inform 7
1

[code]Every turn when player is in Great Northern Road:
let X be a random number from 1 to 5;
if X is 1:
say “[bold type]An abbot leading a horse crosses your path. What’s in those saddlebags?”[roman type];
now the abbot is in location;
else if X is 2:
say “[bold type]A gaunt peasant crosses your path. It looks like he could use some kindness.[roman type]”;
now the peasant is in location;
else if X is 3:
say “[bold type]One of the sheriff’s men crosses your path. Fight or flee?[roman type]”;
now the sheriff’s man is in location;
else if X is 4:
say “[bold type]A fat merchant crosses your path. You wonder how heavy his purse is.[roman type]”;
now the merchant is in location;
else if X is 5:
say “[bold type]A well-dressed lady on horseback crosses your path.[roman type]”;
now the lady on horseback is in location.

…

The Holding Area is a room.

The abbot is a person in Holding Area.

The horse is a portable supporter.

The saddlebags is on the horse.

The saddlebags is a portable container.

A bag of gold is a thing. The bag of gold is inside the saddlebags.

The peasant is person in Holding Area…

The sheriff’s man is a person in Holding Area…

The merchant is a person in Holding Area…

The lady on horseback is a person in Holding Area.[/code]

Transcript:

Great Northern Road
Running north and south, the Great Northern Road connects London in the south to York in the north. You can also go to the east, towards a bunch of shurbbery.

A gaunt peasant crosses your path. It looks like he could use some kindness.
What wilt thou, Robin?
You greet the haaggard-looking peasant warmly and offer him a gold coin. The peasant thanks you profusely, saying now he can feed his family for a week, and then scurries out of sight.

l
Great Northern Road
Running north and south, the Great Northern Road connects London in the south to York in the north. You can also go to the east, towards a bunch of shurbbery.

A fat merchant crosses your path. You wonder how heavy his purse is. (But no peasant)
What wilt thou, Robin?

l
Great Northern Road
Running north and south, the Great Northern Road connects London in the south to York in the north. You can also go to the east, towards a bunch of shurbbery.

You can see a merchant here.

A well-dressed lady on horseback crosses your path.
What wilt thou, Robin?

2

What’s the problem? Also, where is the text “You greet the haggard-looking [spelling error] peasant…” coming from? You haven’t shown us the code that produces that, so the absence of the peasant (if that’s the problem) is impossible for anyone reading your code to diagnose.

3

Sorry. Here’s the code:

Every turn: if the peasant is in location and player carries gold coin: say "You greet the haaggard-looking peasant warmly and offer him a gold coin. The peasant thanks you profusely, saying now he can feed his family for a week, and then scurries out of sight."; now gold coin is off-stage; now peasant is in Holding Area.

4

…what exactly is the problem? The peasant disappears because that’s what you’ve programmed him to do.

5

Dang! You’re right!
Doh! Marge, is supper ready? How 'bout some brain food tonight?