ould bring him, as though he were quite all Mussulman
and not half Christian, as his contemptuous nickname signified--a
mixture of royal linen and plebeian cotton! His touch might well defile
the sacred sheep!

Here was a picturesque peasant-priest from the province of Ormidia, who
had left his work in the fields and was moving among the crowd with a
slow dignity of motion and the mien of some antique statue--with
sheep-skin garments of no shape, nor fashion, nor color, to mark his
date--his hair flowing in loose waves to the throat, from under the
high, conical hat, his full curling beard and moustache obscuring the
lines of the face and intensifying its impassiveness--only in the eyes,
without curiosity, a mild look of question at the strangeness of the
ways and sights of cities--such as some shepherd-god might
wear,--reserving judgment.

To-day, also, some stray brother of the lower order of the Knights
Hospitallers might be seen among the throng,--a white star, eight
pointed on the breast of the black gown with which in early ages he had
been invested by the Patriarch of Jerusalem: and near him some Crusader,
with the red cross on his silver mail.

The burghers, too, were abroad in the arcades of the streets of Nikosia,
gathering in groups before the Palazzo Reale which had been the
residence of the kings of the island until Janus had removed his capital
to Famagosta.

But Nikosia had always been a cradle of loyalty in spite of a floating
population of strangers who came thronging to visit her monuments and
palaces--to see the wonder of her merchandise gathered from the riches
of her own fertile land--fruits and wines and silks and jewels,
broideries of gold and silver wrought by her peasant women among their
vines--exquisite vessels of beaten copper from the famous mines which
had baptised this island of Cyprus. But there were carpets also from
Persia, and fabulous Eastern stuffs--linens from Egypt, gossamer-fine;
and carvings of ivory and gold, and drugs and spices from Arabia. There
were slaves too--most fair to look upon--everything that might minister
to the luxury of a great city, as there were churches, of many
religions, and altars to many saints.

* * * * *

Suddenly a troop of horsemen dashed rapidly through the open gates and
into the heart of the city among all the loitering holiday-wanderers,
rousing them to instant strenuousness.

"There is news!" some one cried