He employed his fortune and influence in collecting a formidable guerilla force, and resumed his plundering operations.  Kurd Pacha soon found himself compelled, by the universal outcry of the province, to take active measures against this young brigand.  He sent against him a division of troops, which defeated him and brought him prisoner with his men to Berat, the capital of Central Albania and residence of the governor.  The country flattered itself that at length it was freed from its scourge.  The whole body of bandits was condemned to death; but Ali was not the man to surrender his life so easily.  Whilst they were hanging his comrades, he threw himself at the feet of the pacha and begged for mercy in the name of his parents, excusing himself on account of his youth, and promising a lasting reform.  The pacha, seeing at his feet a comely youth, with fair hair and blue eyes, a persuasive voice, and eloquent tongue, and in whose veins flowed the same blood as his own, was moved with pity and pardoned him.  Ali got off with a mild captivity in the palace of his powerful relative, who heaped benefits upon him, and did all he could to lead him into the paths of probity.  He appeared amenable to these good influences, and bitterly to repent his past errors.  After some years, believing in his reformation, and moved by the prayers of Kamco, who incessantly implored the restitution of her dear son, the generous pacha restored him his liberty, only giving him to understand that he had no more mercy to expect if he again disturbed the public peace.  Ali taking the threat seriously did not run the risk of braving it, and, on the contrary, did all he could to conciliate the man whose anger he dared not kindle.  Not only did he keep the promise he had made to live quietly, but by his good conduct he caused his former escapades to be forgotten, putting under obligation all his neighbours, and attaching to himself, through the services he rendered them, a great number of friendly disposed persons.  In this manner he soon assumed a distinguished and honourable rank among the beys of the country, and being of marriageable age, he sought and formed an alliance with the daughter of Capelan Tigre, Pacha of Delvino, who resided at Argyro-Castron.  This union, happy on both sides, gave him, with one of the most accomplished women in Epirus, a high position and great influence.

It seemed as if this marriage were destined to wean Ali forever from his former turbulent habits and wild adventures.  But the family into which he had married afforded violent contrasts and equal elements of good and mischief.  If Emineh, his wife, was a model of virtue, his father-in-law, Capelan, was a composition of every vice—­selfish, ambitious, turbulent, fierce.  Confident in his courage, and further emboldened by his remoteness from the capital, the Pacha of Delvino gloried in setting law and authority at defiance.

Ali’s disposition was too much like that of his father-in-law to prevent him from taking his measure very quickly.  He soon got on good terms with him, and entered into his schemes, waiting for an opportunity to denounce him and become his successor.  For this opportunity he had not long to wait.