the monster men-第13部分

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he　head　hunters　closed　upon　him　the　brave　Chinaman　clubbed　his　weapon　and　went　down　beneath　them　beating　madly　at　the　brown　skulls。

The　man　with　whom　Professor　Maxon　had　grappled　had　no　opportunity　to　use　his　weapons　for　the　crazed　man　held　him　close　with　one　encircling　arm　while　he　tore　and　struck　at　him　with　his　free　hand。　　The　fourth　Dyak　danced　around　the　two　with　raised　parang　watching　for　an　opening　that　he　might　deliver　a　silencing　blow　upon　the　white　man's　skull。

The　great　odds　against　the　two　mentheir　bravery　in　the　face　of　death；　their　grave　dangerand　last　and　greatest；　the　fact　that　one　was　the　father　of　the　beautiful　creature　he　worshipped；　wrought　a　sudden　change　in　Number　Thirteen。　　In　an　instant　he　forgot　that　he　had　come　here　to　kill　the　white…haired　man；　and　with　a　bound　stood　in　the　center　of　the　room　an　unarmed　giant　towering　above　the　battling　four。

The　parang　of　the　Dyak　who　sought　Professor　Maxon's　life　was　already　falling　as　a　mighty　hand　grasped　the　wrist　of　the　head　hunter；　but　even　then　it　was　too　late　to　more　than　lessen　the　weight　of　the　blow；　and　the　sharp　edge　of　the　blade　bit　deep　into　the　forehead　of　the　white　man。　　As　he　sank　to　his　knees　his　other　antagonist　freed　an　arm　from　the　embrace　which　had　pinioned　it　to　his　side；　but　before　he　could　deal　the　professor　a　blow　with　the　short　knife　that　up　to　now　he　had　been　unable　to　use；　Number　Thirteen　had　hurled　his　man　across　the　room　and　was　upon　him　who　menaced　the　scientist。

Tearing　him　loose　from　his　prey；　he　raised　him　far　above　his　head　and　threw　him　heavily　against　the　opposite　wall；　then　he　turned　his　attention　toward　Sing's　assailants。　　All　that　had　so　far　saved　the　Chinaman　from　death　was　the　fact　that　the　two　savages　were　each　so　anxious　to　secure　his　head　for　the　verandah　rafters　of　his　own　particular　long…house　that　they　interfered　with　one　another　in　the　consummation　of　their　common　desire。

Although　battling　for　his　life；　Sing　had　not　failed　to　note　the　advent　of　the　strange　young　giant；　nor　the　part　he　had　played　in　succoring　the　professor；　so　that　it　was　with　a　feeling　of　relief　that　he　saw　the　newcomer　turn　his　attention　toward　those　who　were　rapidly　reducing　the　citadel　of　his　own　existence。

The　two　Dyaks　who　sought　the　trophy　which　nature　had　set　upon　the　Chinaman's　shoulders　were　so　busily　engaged　with　their　victim　that　they　knew　nothing　of　the　presence　of　Number　Thirteen　until　a　mighty　hand　seized　each　by　the　neck　and　they　were　raised　bodily　from　the　floor；　shaken　viciously　for　an　instant；　and　then　hurled　to　the　opposite　end　of　the　room　upon　the　bodies　of　the　two　who　had　preceded　them。

As　Sing　came　to　his　feet　he　found　Professor　Maxon　lying　in　a　pool　of　his　own　blood；　a　great　gash　in　his　forehead。　He　saw　the　white　giant　standing　silently　looking　down　upon　the　old　man。　　Across　the　room　the　four　stunned　Dyaks　were　recovering　consciousness。　　Slowly　and　fearfully　they　regained　their　feet；　and　seeing　that　no　attention　was　being　paid　them；　cast　a　parting；　terrified　look　at　the　mighty　creature　who　had　defeated　them　with　his　bare　hands；　and　slunk　quickly　out　into　the　darkness　of　the　campong。

When　they　caught　up　with　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　near　the　beach；　they　narrated　a　fearful　tale　of　fifty　terrible　white　men　with　whom　they　had　battled　valiantly；　killing　many；　before　they　had　been　compelled　to　retreat　in　the　face　of　terrific　odds。　They　swore　that　even　then　they　had　only　returned　because　the　girl　was　not　in　the　houseotherwise　they　should　have　brought　her　to　their　beloved　master　as　he　had　directed。

Now　Muda　Saffir　believed　nothing　that　they　said；　but　he　was　well　pleased　with　the　great　treasure　which　had　so　unexpectedly　fallen　into　his　hands；　and　he　decided　to　make　quite　sure　of　that　by　transporting　it　to　his　own　land　later　he　could　return　for　the　girl。　　So　the　ten　war　prahus　of　the　Malay　pulled　quietly　out　of　the　little　cove　upon　the　east　side　of　the　island；　and　bending　their　way　toward　the　south　circled　its　southern　extremity　and　bore　away　for　Borneo。

In　the　bungalow　within　the　north　campong　Sing　and　Number　Thirteen　had　lifted　Professor　Maxon　to　his　bed；　and　the　Chinaman　was　engaged　in　bathing　and　bandaging　the　wound　that　had　left　the　older　man　unconscious。　The　white　giant　stood　beside　him　watching　his　every　move。　He　was　trying　to　understand　why　sometimes　men　killed　one　another　and　again　defended　and　nursed。　　He　was　curious　as　to　the　cause　of　his　own　sudden　change　in　sentiment　toward　Professor　Maxon。　　At　last　he　gave　the　problem　up　as　beyond　his　powers　of　solution；　and　at　Sing's　command　set　about　the　task　of　helping　to　nurse　the　man　whom　he　considered　the　author　of　his　unhappiness　and　whom　a　few　short　minutes　before　he　had　come　to　kill。

As　the　two　worked　over　the　stricken　man　their　ears　were　suddenly　assailed　by　a　wild　commotion　from　the　direction　of　the　workshop。　　There　were　sounds　of　battering　upon　wood；　loud　growls　and　roars；　mingled　with　weird　shrieks　and　screams　and　the　strange；　uncanny　gibbering　of　brainless　things。

Sing　looked　quickly　up　at　his　companion。

〃Whallee　mallee？〃　he　asked。

The　giant　did　not　answer。　　An　expression　of　pain　crossed　his　features；　and　he　shudderedbut　not　from　fear。



7

THE　BULL　WHIP


As　von　Horn　and　Virginia　Maxon　walked　slowly　beneath　the　dense　shadows　of　the　jungle　he　again　renewed　his　suit。　It　would　please　him　more　to　have　the　girl　accompany　him　voluntarily　than　to　be　compelled　to　take　her　by　force；　but　take　her　he　would　one　way　or　another；　and　that；　this　very　night；　for　all　the　plans　were　made　and　already　under　way。

〃I　cannot　do　it；　Doctor　von　Horn；〃　she　had　said。　〃No　matter　how　much　danger　I　may　be　in　here　I　cannot　desert　my　father　on　this　lonely　isle　with　only　savage　lascars　and　the　terrible　monsters　of　his　own　creation　surrounding　him。　　Why；　it　would　be　little　short　of　murder　for　us　to　do　such　a　thing。　　I　cannot　see　how　you；　his　most　trusted　lieutenant；　can　even　give　an　instant's　consideration　to　the　idea。

〃And　now　that　you　insist　that　his　mind　is　sorely　affected；　it　is　only　an　added　reason　why　I　must　remain　with　him　to　protect　him　so　far　as　I　am　able；　from　himself　and　his　enemies。〃

Von　Horn　did　not　relish　the　insinuation　in　the　accent　which　the　girl　put　upon　the　last　word。

〃It　is　because　I　love　you　so；　Virginia；〃　he　hastened　to　urge　in　extenuation　of　his　suggested　disloyalty。　〃I　cannot　see　you　sacrificed　to　his　horrible　mania。　You　do　not　realize　the　imminence　of　your　peril。　Tomorrow　Number　Thirteen　was　to　have　come　to　live　beneath　the　same　roof　with　you。　　You　recall　Number　One　whom　the　stranger　killed　as　the　thing　was　bearing　you　away　through　the　jungle？　　Can　you　imagine　sleeping　in　the　same　house　with　such　a　soulless　thing？　　Eating　your　three　meals　a　day　at　the　same　table　with　it？　　And　knowing　all　the　time　that　in　a　few　short　weeks　at　the　most　you　were　destined　to　be　given　to　the　thing　as　its　mate？　　Virginia；　you　must　be　mad　to　consider　for　a　moment　remaining　within　reach　of　such　a　terrible　peril。

〃Come　to　Singapore　with　meit　will　take　but　a　few　daysand　then　we　can　return　with　some　good　medical　man　and　a　couple　of　Europeans；　and　take　your　father　away　from　the　terrible　creatures　he　has　created。　　You　will　be　mine　then　and　safe　from　the　awful　fate　that　now　lies　back　there　in　the　camp　awaiting　you。　　We　can　take　your　father　upon　a　long　trip　where　rest　and　quiet　can　have　an　opportunity　to　restore　his　enfeebled　mentality。　Come；　Virginia！　　Come　with　me　now。　　We　can　go　directly　to　the　Ithaca　and　safety。　　Say　that　you　will　come。〃

The　girl　shook　her　head。

〃I　do　not　love　you；　I　am　afraid；　Doctor　von　Horn；　or　I　should　certainly　be　moved　by　your　appeal。　　If　you　wish　to　bring　help　for　my　father　I　shall　never　cease　to　thank　you　if　you　will　go　to　Singapore　and　fetch　it；　but　it　is　not　necessary　that　I　go。　　My　place　is　here；　near　him。〃

In　the　darkness　the　girl　did　not　see　the　change　that　came　over　the　man's　face；　but　his　next　words　revealed　his　altered　attitude　with　sufficient　exactitude　to　thoroughly　arouse　her　fears。

〃Virginia；〃　he　said；　〃I　love　you；　and　I　intend　to　have　you。　Nothing　on　earth　can　prevent　me。　　When　you　know　me　better　you　will　return　my　love；　but　now　I　must　risk　offending　you　that　I　may　save　you　for　myself　from　the　monstrous　connection　which　your　father　contemplates　for　you。　　If　you　will　not　come　away　from　the　island　with　me　voluntarily　I　consider　it　my　duty　to　take　you　away　by　force。〃

〃You　would　never　do　that；　Doctor　von　Horn！〃　she　exclaimed。

Von　Horn　had　gone　too　far。　　He　cursed　himself　inwardly　for　a　fool。　　Why　the　devil　didn't　that　villain；　Bududreen；　come！　　He　should　have　been　along　to　act　his　part　half　an　hour　before。

〃No；　Virginia；〃　said　the　man；　softly；　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃I　could　not　do　that；　though　my　judgment　tells　me　that　I　should　do　it。　　You　shall　remain　here　if　you　insist　and　I　will　be　with　you　to　serve　and　protect　both　you　and　your　father。〃

The　words　were　fair；　but　the　girl　could　not　forget　the　ugly　tone　that　had　tinged　his　preceding　statement。　She　felt　that　she　would　be　glad　when　she　found　herself　safely　within　the　bungalow　once　more。

〃Come；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　late。　　Let　us　return　to　camp。〃

Von　Horn　was　about　to　reply　when　the　war　cries　of　Muda　Saffir's　Dyaks　as　they　rushed　out　upon　Bududreen　and　hi