The Turk was at our gates, and full of the malice of baffled greed.

Already he had tried to arrange a marriage with the Voivodin, so that in time to come he, as her husband, might have established a claim to the inheritance of the land.

Well he knew, as do all men, that the Blue Mountaineers owe allegiance to none that they themselves do not appoint to rulership.

This has been the history in the past.

But now and again an individual has arisen or come to the front adapted personally for such government as this land requires.