ucic by name, offered a large sum of
money for his head, but no one could be found willing to meet that
terrible man whom legend and story had endowed with supernatural
powers. Finally, a criminal consented to attempt the deed on the
promise of his liberty, and this led to one of the most incredible
episodes in Marko's life. The criminal lay in wait for him on a lonely
part of the road near Rijeka, and as Marko was passing along he
stepped suddenly on to the road pistol in hand. Marko in no way
attempted defence, but simply transfixed the man with a glance. The
wretched man in an ecstasy of terror shot himself, so penetrating was
the glance which the Voivoda had given him. So runs the story. Suffice
it to remark that Marko arrived safe and sound the same evening in
Cetinje, and a dead criminal was found on the next day by the
roadside. Now Yussuf, the Governor, was himself a soldier of some
repute, and when he heard of the failure of his messenger he
boastfully expressed a desire to meet the celebrated Marko in single
combat. On this challenge being reported to him Marko rode off on a
half-tamed steed at midday into the heart of Podgorica, and reined up
before the Pasha's house. In fear and trembling the Turks hastily
closed their bazaars and houses as that fearful horseman galloped
through their streets. In a loud voice Marko cried--

"I am here, Yussuf, to answer thy challenge. Wilt thou now come out
and fight with me?"

But fear filled the heart of the craven Turk, and he sent a woman to
the window to say that he was away from home. Marko knew this to be a
lie, and cried so that all should hear him that henceforth the
challenge was annulled. "I do not fight with cowards," he said, and
again galloped away unmolested.

Such was the power that superstition had weaved around his person that
he was commonly believed to be invulnerable, which belief was
afterwards belied by the fact that he carried two bullets with him to
the grave.

After this public insult to Yussuf, it was known that he would spare
no pains to take Marko's life, and a touching episode is told of the
love which Marko's tribe bore to him. His people were ever ready to
sacrifice their lives for him, and in this instance it was deemed
necessary to remove the obnoxious Pasha. Accordingly a cousin of Marko
journeyed to the Podgorican market with a pistol concealed in a load
of wood. He lay in wait before Yussuf's house and shot him down as he
emerged. T