anina. He was Yussuf Bey of the Delres,
an old enemy of Ali's, and had encamped with his escort of eight hundred
warriors at the foot of Tomoros of Dodona. Dreading some treachery, he
absolutely refused all entreaties to enter the town, and Ali seeing that
it was useless to insist, and that his adversary for the present was
safe, at once sent his grand-daughter, the Princess of Aulis, out to
him.

This matter disposed of, Ali was able to attend to his hideous family
tragedy. He began by effecting the disappearance of the women whom he
had been compelled to make his accomplices; they were simply sewn up in
sacks by gipsies and thrown into the lake. This done, he himself led
the executioners into a subterranean part of the castle, where they were
beheaded by black mutes as a reward for their obedience. He then sent a
doctor to Zobeide; who succeeded in causing a miscarriage, and who,
his work done, was seized and strangled by the black mutes who had just
beheaded the gipsies. Having thus got rid of all who could bear witness
to his crime, he wrote to Veli that he might now send for his wife
and two of his children, hitherto detained as hostages, and that the
innocence of Zobeide would confound a calumniator who had dared to
assail him with such injurious suspicions.

When this letter arrived, Pacho Bey, distrusting equally the treachery
of the father and the weakness of the son, and content with having sown
the seeds of dissension in his enemy's family, had sufficient wisdom to
seek safety in flight. Ali, furious, vowed, on hearing this, that his
vengeance should overtake him even at the ends of the earth. Meanwhile
he fell back on Yussuf Bey of the Debres, whose escape when lately at
Janina still rankled in his mind. As Yussuf was dangerous both from
character and influence, Ali feared to attack him openly, and sought to
assassinate him. This was not precisely easy, for, exposed to a thousand
dangers of this kind, the nobles of that day were on their guard. Steel
and poison were used up, and another way had to be sought. Ali found it.

One of the many adventurers with whom Janina was filled penetrated to
the pacha's presence, and offered to sell the secret of a powder
whereof three grains would suffice to kill a man with a terrible
explosion--explosive powder, in short. Ali heard with delight, but
replied that he must see it in action before purchasing.

In the dungeons of the castle by the lake, a poor monk of the or