disposal--use them as you will." Then,
selecting from amongst his choicest diamonds two stones, worth a
hundred thousand sequins, he placed them in the hands of Kleon and
Artemis, and said, "These I will send to the war-chest of the
Hetaeria!"

Why, what does Ali mean by mentioning this secret society, which had
already undermined the whole Turkish Empire--just as he had undermined
Janina? Perhaps he would fire these mines also! Of a truth the arm of
Ali reached as far as Stambul! aye, and as far as Bucharest also.

And now he led the brother and sister into his armory, and there they
saw whole chests full of firearms from the manufactories of the best
English and French makers.

"You see, I could arm a whole realm with the weapons I have in
Janina."

The brother and sister sighed; one and the same thought suddenly
occurred to them both.

"Tepelenti," said the girl.

"Command me!"

"Thou hast done much harm to us, we also have done much harm to thee;
let us act as if we now saw each other for the first time."

"I forgive you."

"I will forget that thou didst put to death my betrothed in this room,
and thou forget that we killed thy grandson. Call to mind, moreover,
that not only are we captives in this fortress, but thou art also
surrounded by the hosts of thine enemies."

"I alone am a captive," said Ali, humbly. "I swear by Allah, as I have
promised the holy Virgin, that I will let you and all your companions
free! What may happen to you after that I care not. Ali has not long
to live now. But your days of combat are yet to be, and if ever the
time should come when your plans need the help of arms and treasures,
remember that there is enough of both at Janina."

Artemis was constrained to believe in the sincerity of Ali's words.

And now the pasha, with his own hand, selected two beautiful Damascus
blades from among his store of weapons, and bound them to the girdles
of the brother and sister. What a warmth of self-confidence came over
them when they felt once more that they had swords by their sides!

Then he led them down to their companions, who were assembled in the
court-yard of the fortress, and informed them that they were free to
go whither they would. And then he put wine and pilaf before the
jubilant crowd of captives, and left them to eat and drink with his
own Arnauts; and, beneath the peace-making influence of the good wine,
it was not very long before they fell to kissing one another and