One day there came from the south a stranger who was unlike any man that Shasta had seen before. He rode upon a strong dappled horse with flowing mane and tail and his stirrups and bridle were inlaid with silver. The spike of a helmet projected from the middle of his silken turban and he wore a shirt of chain mail. By his side hung a curving scimitar， a round shield studded with bosses of brass hung at his back， and his right hand grasped a lance. His face was dark， but this did not surprise Shasta because all the people of Calormen are like that； what did surprise him was the man’s beard which was dyed crimson， and curled and gleaming with scented oil. But Arsheesh knew by the gold on the stranger‘s bare arm that he was a Tarkaan or great lord， and he bowed kneeling before him till his beard touched the earth and made signs to Shasta to kneel also.
