th his
cheeks flushing, "I am sure she is very nice when you come to know her."

"Can't be," cried the lawyer. "A woman who advocates fire and sword.
Bah!"

"But as a protection against fire and sword," said the professor
laughing.

"Tchah, sir! stuff!" cried the other. "Look here; I can be pretty
fierce when I like, and with you so big and strong, and with such a way
with you as you have--Bah! nonsense, sir, we shall want no arms."

"Well, I propose that we now consult the landlord."

"Oh, just as you like, sir; but if he advocates such a proceeding, I'm
not going to stalk through Turkey carrying fire-irons in my belt and
over my shoulder, like a sham footpad in a country show."

The landlord was summoned--a frank-looking Englishman, who listened to
all the professor said in silence and then replied:

"Mr Thompson the consul is quite right, sir. We are not in England
here, and though this is the nineteenth century the state of the country
is terribly lawless. You know the old saying about when at Rome."

"Do as the Romans do, eh?"

"Exactly, sir. Every second man you meet here even in the town goes
armed, even if his weapons are not seen, while in the country--quite in
the interior, it is the custom to wear weapons."

"Then I shall not go," said Mr Burne decisively. "If you ask my
advice, gentlemen, I should say, carry each of you a good revolver, a
knife or dagger, a sword, and a double-barrelled gun."

"Sword, dagger, and gun!" cried the professor. "Surely a revolver would
be sufficient."

"Why not push a nice large brass cannon before us in a wheel-barrow?"
said Mr Burne sarcastically, and then leaning back in his chair to
chuckle, as if he had said something very comical, and which he
emphasised by winking and nodding at Lawrence, who was too much
interested in the discussion upon weapons to heed him.

"A revolver is not sufficient, for more than one reason, gentlemen,"
said the landlord. "It is a deadly weapon in skilful hands; but you
will meet scores of people who do not understand its qualities, but who
would comprehend a sword or a gun. You do not want to have to use these
weapons."

"Use them, sir? Of course not," roared the lawyer. "Of course not,
sir," said the landlord. "If you go armed merely with revolvers you may
have to use them; but if you wear, in addition, a showy-looking sword
and knife, and carry each of you a gun, you will be so formidable in
appearance that the peop