overed the net-work of
hidden tunnels at the head of the bridge, although they had been
carefully buried, and after a savage struggle forced his way through
them into the fortress. The Albanians fought desperately, but Ali's
enemies, who could afford to shed their blood freely, forced their way
through and planted their scaling-ladders against the side of the
fortress opposite the island, and where the _debris_ of the
battered-down wall filled up the ditch they crossed over and occupied
the breach. In the evening, after a fierce combat in the court-yard,
Tepelenti's forces were cut to pieces one by one, and he himself, with
seventy survivors, took refuge in the red tower.

So only the red tower now remained to him.

CHAPTER XVI

EMINAH

The vanquished lion was shut up within a space six yards square; a
narrow tower into all four windows of which his enemies were peeping
was now his sole possession! There he sits in that octagonal chamber,
in which he had passed so many memorable moments. Perhaps now, as he
leaned his heavy head upon his hand, the remembrance of those moments
passed before his mind's eye like a procession of melancholy shadows.
Around him lay his treasures in shining piles; heaps of gold and
silver, massive gold plate, the spoils of sanctuaries, sparkling gems,
lay scattered about the floor higgledy-piggledy, like so much sand or
gravel.

Of all his kinsfolk, of all his warriors, not one was present with
him; all had fallen on the battle-field, fighting either with him or
against him. Of the seventy warriors who had taken refuge with him in
the tower, sixty-four had deserted him. Kurshid had promised a pardon
to the renegades, and only six remained with Ali. Why did these six
remain? Ali had not told them not to leave him.

These faithful ones were keeping guard in his antechamber, and for
some little time they had been whispering together.

At last they went in to Ali.

Tepelenti looked them every one through and through. He could read
what they wanted in their confused looks and their unsteady eyes. He
did not wait for them to speak, but said, with a wave of his hand:

"Go! leave me; you are the last. Go where the others have gone; save
yourselves. Life is sweet; live long and happily. I will remain here.
Tepelenti can die alone."

Sighing deeply, the soldiers turned away. They durst not raise their
eyes to the face of the gray-haired veteran. Noiselessly, without a
word, on the t