the monster men-第23部分

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　not　longer　interfere　with　us　or　we　shall　kill　you；〃　and　he　looked　first　at　Number　Three　and　then　at　Number　Twelve　for　approval　of　his　ultimatum。

Number　Three　nodded　his　grotesque　and　hideous　head　he　was　so　covered　with　long　black　hair　that　he　more　nearly　resembled　an　ourang　outang　than　a　human　being。　Number　Twelve　looked　doubtful。

〃I　think　Number　Ten　is　right；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃We　are　not　human。　　We　have　no　souls。　　We　are　things。　And　while　you；　Bulan；　are　beautiful；　yet　you　are　as　much　a　soulless　thing　as　wethat　much　von　Horn　taught　us　well。　So　I　believe　that　it　would　be　better　were　we　to　keep　forever　from　the　sight　of　men。　　I　do　not　much　like　the　thought　of　living　with　these　strange；　hairy　monsters；　but　we　might　find　a　place　here　in　the　jungle　where　we　could　live　alone　and　in　peace。〃

〃I　do　not　want　to　live　alone；〃　cried　Number　Three。　〃I　want　a　mate；　and　I　see　a　beautiful　one　yonder　now。　I　am　going　after　her；〃　and　with　that　he　again　started　toward　a　female　ourang　outang；　but　the　lady　bared　her　fangs　and　retreated　before　his　advance。

〃Even　the　beasts　will　have　none　of　us；〃　cried　Number　Ten　angrily。　〃Let　us　take　them　by　force　then；〃　and　he　started　after　Number　Three。

〃Come　back！〃　shouted　Bulan；　leaping　after　the　two　deserters。

As　he　raised　his　voice　there　came　an　answering　cry　from　a　little　distance　aheada　cry　for　help；　and　it　was　in　the　agonized　tones　of　a　woman's　voice。

〃I　am　coming！〃　shouted　Bulan；　and　without　another　glance　at　his　mutinous　crew　he　sprang　through　the　line　of　menacing　ourang　outangs。



12

PERFIDY


On　the　morning　that　Bulan　set　out　with　his　three　monsters　from　the　deserted　long…house　in　which　they　had　spent　the　night；　Professor　Maxon's　party　was　speeding　up　the　river；　constantly　buoyed　with　hope　by　the　repeated　reports　of　natives　that　the　white　girl　had　been　seen　passing　in　a　war　prahu。

In　translating　this　information　to　Professor　Maxon；　von　Horn　habitually　made　it　appear　that　the　girl　was　in　the　hands　of　Number　Thirteen；　or　Bulan；　as　they　had　now　come　to　call　him　owing　to　the　natives'　constant　use　of　that　name　in　speaking　of　the　strange；　and　formidable　white　giant　who　had　invaded　their　land。

At　the　last　long…house　below　the　gorge；　the　head　of　which　had　witnessed　Virginia　Maxon's　escape　from　the　clutches　of　Ninaka　and　Barunda；　the　searching　party　was　forced　to　stop　owing　to　a　sudden　attack　of　fever　which　had　prostrated　the　professor。　　Here　they　found　a　woman　who　had　a　strange　tale　to　relate　of　a　remarkable　sight　she　had　witnessed　that　very　morning。

It　seemed　that　she　had　been　straining　tapioca　in　a　little　stream　which　flowed　out　of　the　jungle　at　the　rear　of　the　long…house　when　her　attention　was　attracted　by　the　crashing　of　an　animal　through　the　bushes　a　few　yards　above　her。　　As　she　looked　she　saw　a　huge　MIAS　PAPPAN　cross　the　stream；　bearing　in　his　arms　the　dead；　or　unconscious　form　of　a　white…skinned　girl　with　golden　hair。

Her　description　of　the　MIAS　PAPPAN　was　such　as　to　half　convince　von　Horn　that　she　might　have　seen　Number　Three　carrying　Virginia　Maxon；　although　he　could　not　reconcile　the　idea　with　the　story　that　the　two　Dyaks　had　told　him　of　losing　all　of　Bulan's　monsters　in　the　jungle。

Of　course　it　was　possible　that　they　might　have　made　their　way　over　land　to　this　point；　but　it　seemed　scarcely　credibleand　then；　how　could　they　have　come　into　posession　of　Virginia　Maxon；　whom　every　report　except　this　last　agreed　was　still　in　the　hands　of　Ninaka　and　Barunda。　　There　was　always　the　possibility　that　the　natives　had　lied　to　him；　and　the　more　he　questioned　the　Dyak　woman　the　more　firmly　convinced　he　became　that　this　was　the　fact。

The　outcome　of　it　was　that　von　Horn　finally　decided　to　make　an　attempt　to　follow　the　trail　of　the　creature　that　the　woman　had　seen；　and　with　this　plan　in　view　persuaded　Muda　Saffir　to　arrange　with　the　chief　of　the　long…house　at　which　they　then　were　to　furnish　him　with　trackers　and　an　escort　of　warriors；　promising　them　some　splendid　heads　should　they　be　successful　in　overhauling　Bulan　and　his　pack。

Professor　Maxon　was　too　ill　to　accompany　the　expedition；　and　von　Horn　set　out　alone　with　his　Dyak　allies。　For　a　time　after　they　departed　Sing　Lee　fretted　and　fidgeted　upon　the　verandah　of　the　long…house。　He　wholly　distrusted　von　Horn；　and　from　motives　of　his　own　finally　decided　to　follow　him。　The　trail　of　the　party　was　plainly　discernible；　and　the　Chinaman　had　no　difficulty　in　following　them；　so　that　they　had　gone　no　great　way　before　he　came　within　hearing　distance　of　them。　Always　just　far　enough　behind　to　be　out　of　sight；　he　kept　pace　with　the　little　column　as　it　marched　through　the　torrid　heat　of　the　morning；　until　a　little　after　noon　he　was　startled　by　the　sudden　cry　of　a　woman　in　distress；　and　the　answering　shout　of　a　man。

The　voices　came　from　a　point　in　the　jungle　a　little　to　his　right　and　behind　him；　and　without　waiting　for　the　column　to　return；　or　even　to　ascertain　if　they　had　heard　the　cries；　Sing　ran　rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the　alarm。　　For　a　time　he　saw　nothing；　but　was　guided　by　the　snapping　of　twigs　and　the　rustling　of　bushes　ahead；　where　the　authors　of　the　commotion　were　evidently　moving　swiftly　through　the　jungle。

Presently　a　strange　sight　burst　upon　his　astonished　vision。　It　was　the　hideous　Number　Three　in　mad　pursuit　of　a　female　ourang　outang；　and　an　instant　later　he　saw　Number　Twelve　and　Number　Ten　in　battle　with　two　males；　while　beyond　he　heard　the　voice　of　a　man　shouting　encouragement　to　some　one　as　he　dashed　through　the　jungle。　It　was　in　this　last　event　that　Sing's　interest　centered；　for　he　was　sure　that　he　recognized　the　voice　as　that　of　Bulan；　while　the　first　cry　for　help　which　he　had　heard　had　been　in　a　woman's　voice；　and　Sing　knew　that　its　author　could　be　none　other　than　Virginia　Maxon。

Those　whom　he　pursued　were　moving　rapidly　through　the　jungle　which　was　now　becoming　more　and　more　open；　but　the　Chinaman　was　no　mean　runner；　and　it　was　not　long　before　he　drew　within　sight　of　the　object　of　his　pursuit。

His　first　glimpse　was　of　Bulan；　running　swiftly　between　two　huge　bull　ourang　outangs　that　snapped　and　tore　at　him　as　he　bounded　forward　cutting　and　slashing　at　his　foes　with　his　heavy　whip。　　Just　in　front　of　the　trio　was　another　bull　bearing　in　his　arms　the　unconscious　form　of　Virginia　Maxon　who　had　fainted　at　the　first　response　to　her　cry　for　help。　　Sing　was　armed　with　a　heavy　revolver　but　he　dared　not　attempt　to　use　it　for　fear　that　he　might　wound　either　Bulan　or　the　girl；　and　so　he　was　forced　to　remain　but　a　passive　spectator　of　what　ensued。

Bulan；　notwithstanding　the　running　battle　the　two　bulls　were　forcing　upon　him；　was　gaining　steadily　upon　the　fleeing　ourang　outang　that　was　handicapped　by　the　weight　of　the　fair　captive　he　bore　in　his　huge；　hairy　arms。　As　they　came　into　a　natural　clearing　in　the　jungle　the　fleeing　bull　glanced　back　to　see　his　pursuer　almost　upon　him；　and　with　an　angry　roar　turned　to　meet　the　charge。

In　another　instant　Bulan　and　the　three　bulls　were　rolling　and　tumbling　about　the　ground；　a　mass　of　flying　fur　and　blood　from　which　rose　fierce　and　angry　roars　and　growls；　while　Virginia　Maxon　lay　quietly　upon　the　sward　where　her　captor　had　dropped　her。

Sing　was　about　to　rush　forward　and　pick　her　up；　when　he　saw　von　Horn　and　his　Dyaks　leap　into　the　clearing；　to　which　they　had　been　guided　by　the　sounds　of　the　chase　and　the　encounter。　　The　doctor　halted　at　the　sight　that　met　his　eyesthe　prostrate　form　of　the　girl　and　the　man　battling　with　three　huge　bulls。

Then　he　gathered　up　Virginia　Maxon；　and　with　a　sign　to　his　Dyaks；　who　were　thoroughly　frightened　at　the　mere　sight　of　the　white　giant　of　whom　they　had　heard　such　terrible　stories；　turned　and　hastened　back　in　the　direction　from　which　they　had　come；　leaving　the　man　to　what　seemed　must　be　a　speedy　and　horrible　death。

Sing　Lee　was　astounded　at　the　perfidy　of　the　act。　To　Bulan　alone　was　due　the　entire　credit　of　having　rescued　Professor　Maxon's　daughter；　and　yet　in　the　very　presence　of　his　self…sacrificing　loyalty　and　devotion　von　Horn　had　deserted　him　without　making　the　least　attempt　to　aid　him。　　But　the　wrinkled　old　Chinaman　was　made　of　different　metal；　and　had　started　forward　to　assist　Bulan　when　a　heavy　hand　suddenly　fell　upon　his　shoulder。　　Looking　around　he　saw　the　hideous　face　of　Number　Ten　snarling　into　his。　　The　bloodshot　eyes　of　the　monster　were　flaming　with　rage。　　He　had　been　torn　and　chewed　by　the　bull　with　which　he　had　fought；　and　though　he　had　finally　overcome　and　killed　the　beast；　a　female　which　he　had　pursued　had　eluded　him。　　In　a　frenzy　of　passion　and　blood　lust　aroused　by　his　wounds；　disappointment　and　the　taste　of　warm　blood　which　still　smeared　his　lips　and　face；　he　had　been　seeking　the　female　when　he　suddenly　stumbled　upon　the　hapless　Sing。

With　a　roar　he　grasped　the　Chinaman　as　though　to　break　him　in　two；　but　Sing　was　not　at　all　inclined　to　give　up　his　life　without　a　struggle；　and　Number　Ten　was　quick　to　learn　that　no　mean　muscles　moved　beneath　that　wrinkled；　yellow　hide。

There　could；　however；　have　been　but　one　outcome　to　the　unequal　struggle　had　Sing　not　been　armed　with　a　revolver；　though　it　was　several　seconds　before　he　could　bring　it　into　play　upon　the　great　thing　that　shook　and　tossed　him　about　as　though　he　had　been　a　rat　in　the　mouth　of　a　terrier。　But　suddenly　there　was　the　sharp　report　of　a　firearm；　and　another　of　Professor　Maxon's　unhappy　experiments　sank　back　into　the　nothingness　from　which　he　had　conjured　it。

Then　Sing　turned　his　attention　to　Bulan　and　his　three　savage　assailants；　but；　except　for　the　dead　body　of　a　bull　ourang　outang　upon　the　spot　where　he　had　last　seen　the　four　struggling；　there　was　no　sign　either　of　the　white　man　or　his　antagonists；　nor；　though　he　listened　attentively；　could　he　catch　the　slightest　sound　within　the　jungle　other　than　the　rustling　of　the　leaves　and　the　raucous　cries　of　the　brilliant　birds　that　flitted　among　the　gorgeous　blooms　about　him。

For　half　an　hour　he　searched　in　every　direction；　but　finally；　fearing　that　he　might　become　lost　in　the　mazes　of　the　unfamiliar　forest　he　reluctantly　turned　his　face　toward　the　river　and　the　long…house　that　sheltered　his　party。

Here　he　found　Professor　Maxon　much　improvedthe　safe　return　of　Virginia　having　acted　as　a　tonic　upon　him。　The