Almost every one of these caps was oversewn with either strips of metal rings or short lengths of iron chain. It was easy to pick out the regulars, who were more or less uniformly dressed, all having mail jerkin and steel cap. The N.C.O.’s had small brass stars fastened to the front of their headgear. Kyrlos chatted with some of the older men, and one could see that he was a popular ruler, for, although there was none of the exaggerated respect so common in the East, it was clear from his people’s bearing that they looked upon him as their natural leader. I noticed that he shook hands with all and sundry on meeting them, and I put down his position as very much that of the patriarch of the tribe, an impression that later observations confirmed. Every one was free, and had the right of free speech where he considered himself aggrieved; but this freedom was tempered with a certain respect for those in authority, provided they stuck to the laws and--what was even more important--the customs of the land. As we rode home, I remarked to Kyrlos that, save for the gathering of men, it all seemed very peaceful, and he said that that was because both sides were preparing for war--at least they thought the Shamans were preparing. For some days yet there would be nothing except minor raids here and there and perhaps but few of those. It took time to collect men and form them. His main forces were collecting at Miletis, where his brother had gone to supervise things. “To-morrow we shall ride halfway there, some sixteen miles to Aornos, a fortified town. Then next day we will ride on and meet my brother, whose army by now will be reaching Miletis.” As he was speaking, we passed three men--obviously called up for service--on their way back to the fort, and I noticed that all three wore something in their caps. One had a tassel of floss silk, another a little square talisman of turquoise, the third a gay-coloured bunch of ribbons. “What are these things in their caps, Kyrlos?” said I. He looked at them to see what I meant. “Oh, that is a custom of our land. Whenever there is war and the men are called out, their wives or their sweethearts give them some favour to wear.” “And if a man have neither wife nor sweetheart?” “Then he must go ask some maid to give him a favour; or sometimes”--he chuckled--“it has been known, when a young fellow is rather bashful, that the maid herself will fling him one as he marches away.” “And is he thereby tied to anything?” “By no means, though frequently such things lead to more. But it is good when a wifeless man goes out to fight that he should have some special maid to think of. He is the more anxious to dispose of the enemy quickly and so come home again. “If nothing comes of it when he returns, there is no harm. But if he return wearing a maiden’s favour and seek her out, he knows that she is not unwilling if her favour has been bravely borne in battle.