the very weapons
wherewith they might have defended themselves, and, in their
hesitation, they chose out twelve youths from amongst their ranks to
go to the general and ask the reason of this alarming demonstration.

Gaskho Bey was still in a towering passion, and the bold speech of the
young men irritated him still further. He had them dragged into the
midst of the camp, in front of the assembled battalions, and commanded
that their heads should be cut off, proclaiming at the same time that
any who dared to disobey this order should meet with the same fate.

The garments of the twelve young men were stripped from off them in
the presence of their comrades, and the usual head severing giant
stood behind them, ready to force them down upon their knees and
decapitate them one by one. But he had not yet cut off a single head
when a loud noise was heard coming from the direction of Janina; it
was the liberated sister and brother. Artemis and Kleon, at the head
of their bands. They had beheld from the tower of Janina the danger
which threatened their comrades, and arrived just as the executioners
were preparing to carry out Gaskho Bey's commands.

The Suliotes scattered here and there looked at each other. A
tremendous roar filled the air--a roar of grief and rage and
terror--breaking forth into despair. Those from before, those from
behind, fell upon the ranks of the Moslems. In a moment Gaskho Bey's
whole camp was converted into a chaotic mob, where Albanians and
Spahis. Suliotes and Timariotes, fought together without any fixed
plan, and, in utter defiance of all military science, recognizing
neither friend nor foe. In vain the standard-bearers raised their
banners, in vain the officers of the Spahis roared themselves hoarse,
and the Sorbadzhis and the gigantic Gaskho Bey himself did the same.
The army was so completely disorganized that not even the victorious
enemy could make head or tail of it. Towards evening the Suliotes,
under Kleon and Artemis, captured Lithanizza; while Gaskho Bey, in his
despair, fled all the way to Durazzo. When he got there he discovered
that of all his army only twelve ciauses remained with him. The whole
host had fled higgledy-piggledy along the first road it came across,
leaving behind it all its artillery, baggage, and ammunition wagons.

But Ali Pasha, sweetly smiling, calmly looked on from the red tower of
Janina, while the enemy worried itself to death, and the besieging
thousands sc