the monster men-第24部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Here　he　found　Professor　Maxon　much　improvedthe　safe　return　of　Virginia　having　acted　as　a　tonic　upon　him。　The　girl　and　her　father　sat　with　von　Horn　upon　the　verandah　of　the　long…house　as　Sing　clambered　up　the　notched　log　that　led　to　it　from　the　ground。　　At　sight　of　Sing's　wrinkled　old　face　Virginia　Maxon　sprang　to　her　feet　and　ran　forward　to　greet　him；　for　she　had　been　very　fond　of　the　shrewd　and　kindly　Chinaman　of　whom　she　had　seen　so　much　during　the　dreary　months　of　her　imprisonment　within　the　campong。

〃Oh；　Sing；〃　she　cried；　〃where　have　you　been？　　We　were　all　so　worried　to　think　that　no　sooner　was　one　of　us　rescued　than　another　became　lost。〃

〃Sing　takee　walk；　Linee；　las　all；〃　said　the　grinning　Chinaman。　〃Velly　glad　see　Linee　black　'gain；〃　and　that　was　all　that　Sing　Lee　had　to　say　of　the　adventures　through　which　he　had　just　passed；　and　the　strange　sights　that　he　had　seen。

Again　and　again　the　girl　and　von　Horn　narrated　the　stirring　scenes　of　the　day；　the　latter　being　compelled　to　repeat　all　that　had　transpired　from　the　moment　that　he　had　heard　Virginia's　cry；　though　it　was　apparent　that　he　only　consented　to　speak　of　his　part　in　her　rescue　under　the　most　considerable　urging。　　Very　pretty　modesty；　thought　Sing　when　he　had　heard　the　doctor's　version　of　the　affair。

〃You　see；〃　said　von　Horn；　〃when　I　reached　the　spot　Number　Three；　the　brute　that　you　thought　was　an　ape；　had　just　turned　you　over　to　Number　Thirteen；　or；　as　the　natives　now　call　him；　Bulan。　　You　were　then　in　a　faint；　and　when　I　attacked　Bulan　he　dropped　you　to　defend　himself。　　I　had　expected　a　bitter　fight　from　him　after　the　wild　tales　the　natives　have　been　telling　of　his　ferocity；　but　it　was　soon　evident　that　he　is　an　arrant　coward；　for　I　did　not　even　have　to　fire　my　revolver　a　few　thumps　with　the　butt　of　it　upon　his　brainless　skull　sent　him　howling　into　the　jungle　with　his　pack　at　his　heels。〃

〃How　fortunate　it　is；　my　dear　doctor；〃　said　Professor　Maxon；　〃that　you　were　bright　enough　to　think　of　trailing　the　miscreant　into　the　jungle。　　But　for　that　Virginia　would　still　be　in　his　clutches　and　by　this　time　he　would　have　been　beyond　all　hope　of　capture。　How　can　we　ever　repay　you；　dear　friend？〃

〃That　you　were　generous　enough　to　arrange　when　we　first　embarked　upon　the　search　for　your　daughter；〃　replied　von　Horn。

〃Just　so；　just　so；〃　said　the　professor；　but　a　shade　of　trouble　tinged　the　expression　of　his　face；　and　a　moment　later　he　arose；　saying　that　he　felt　weak　and　tired　and　would　go　to　his　sleeping　room　and　lie　down　for　a　while。　The　fact　was　that　Professor　Maxon　regretted　the　promise　he　had　made　von　Horn　relative　to　his　daughter。

Once　before　he　had　made　plans　for　her　marriage　only　to　regret　them　later；　he　hoped　that　he　had　made　no　mistake　this　time；　but　he　realized　that　it　had　scarcely　been　fair　to　Virginia　to　promise　her　to　his　assistant　without　first　obtaining　her　consent。　　Yet　a　promise　was　a　promise；　and；　again；　was　it　not　true　that　but　for　von　Horn　she　would　have　been　dead　or　worse　than　dead　in　a　short　time　had　she　not　been　rescued　from　the　clutches　of　the　soulless　Bulan？　　Thus　did　the　old　man　justify　his　action；　and　clinch　the　determination　that　he　had　before　reached　to　compel　Virginia　to　wed　von　Horn　should　she；　from　some　incomprehensible　motive；　demur。　Yet　he　hoped　that　the　girl　would　make　it　easy；　by　accepting　voluntarily　the　man　who　had　saved　her　life。

Left　alone；　or　as　he　thought　alone；　with　the　girl　in　the　growing　shadows　of　the　evening；　von　Horn　thought　the　moment　propitious　for　renewing　his　suit。　　He　did　not　consider　the　natives　squatting　about　them　as　of　sufficient　consequence　to　consider；　since　they　would　not　understand　the　language　in　which　he　addressed　Virginia；　and　in　the　dusk　he　failed　to　note　that　Sing　squatted　with　the　Dyaks；　close　behind　them。

〃Virginia；〃　he　commenced；　after　an　interval　of　silence；　〃often　before　have　I　broached　the　subject　nearest　to　my　heart；　yet　never　have　you　given　me　much　encouragement。　Can　you　not　feel　for　the　man　who　would　gladly　give　his　life　for　you；　sufficient　affection　to　permit　you　to　make　him　the　happiest　man　in　the　world？　I　do　not　ask　for　all　your　love　at　firstthat　will　come　later。　Just　give　me　the　right　to　cherish　and　protect　you。　Say　that　you　will　be　my　wife；　Virginia；　and　we　need　have　no　more　fears　that　the　strange　vagaries　of　your　father's　mind　can　ever　again　jeopardize　your　life　or　your　happiness　as　they　have　in　the　past。〃

〃I　feel　that　I　owe　you　my　life；〃　replied　the　girl　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃and　while　I　am　now　positive　that　my　father　has　entirely　regained　his　sanity；　and　looks　with　as　great　abhorrence　upon　the　terrible　fate　he　planned　for　me　as　I　myself；　I　cannot　forget　the　debt　of　gratitude　which　belongs　to　you。

〃At　the　same　time　I　do　not　wish　to　be　the　means　of　making　you　unhappy；　as　surely　would　be　the　result　were　I　to　marry　you　without　love。　　Let　us　wait　until　I　know　myself　better。　Though　you　have　spoken　to　me　of　the　matter　before；　I　realize　now　that　I　never　have　made　any　effort　to　determine　whether　or　not　I　really　can　love　you。　There　is　time　enough　before　we　reach　civilization；　if　ever　we　are　fortunate　enough　to　do　so　at　all。　Will　you　not　be　as　generous　as　you　are　brave；　and　give　me　a　few　days　before　I　must　make　you　a　final　answer？〃

With　Professor　Maxon's　solemn　promise　to　insure　his　ultimate　success　von　Horn　was　very　gentle　and　gracious　in　deferring　to　the　girl's　wishes。　　The　girl　for　her　part　could　not　put　from　her　mind　the　disappointment　she　had　felt　when　she　discovered　that　her　rescuer　was　von　Horn；　and　not　the　handsome　young　giant　whom　she　had　been　positive　was　in　close　pursuit　of　her　abductors。

When　Number　Thirteen　had　been　mentioned　she　had　always　pictured　him　as　a　hideous　monster；　similar　to　the　creature　that　had　seized　her　in　the　jungle　beside　the　encampment　that　first　day　she　had　seen　the　mysterious　stranger；　of　whom　she　could　obtain　no　information　either　from　her　father　or　von　Horn。　　When　she　had　recently　insisted　that　the　same　man　had　been　at　the　head　of　her　father's　creatures　in　an　attempt　to　rescue　her；　both　von　Horn　and　Professor　Maxon　scoffed　at　the　idea；　until　at　last　she　was　convinced　that　the　fright　and　the　firelight　had　conspired　to　conjure　in　her　brain　the　likeness　of　one　who　was　linked　by　memory　to　another　time　of　danger　and　despair。

Virginia　could　not　understand　why　it　was　that　the　face　of　the　stranger　persisted　in　obtruding　itself　in　her　memory。　That　the　man　was　unusually　good　looking　was　undeniable；　but　she　had　known　many　good　looking　men；　nor　was　she　especially　impressionable　to　mere　superficial　beauty。　No　words　had　passed　between　them　on　the　occasion　of　their　first　meeting；　so　it　could　have　been　nothing　that　he　said　which　caused　the　memory　of　him　to　cling　so　tenaciously　in　her　mind。

What　was　it　then？　　Was　it　the　memory　of　the　moments　that　she　had　lain　in　his　strong　armswas　it　the　shadow　of　the　sweet；　warm　glow　that　had　suffused　her　as　his　eyes　had　caught　hers　upon　his　face？

The　thing　was　tantalizingit　was　annoying。　　The　girl　blushed　in　mortification　at　the　very　thought　that　she　could　cling　so　resolutely　to　the　memory　of　a　total　stranger；　andstill　greater　humiliationlong　in　the　secret　depths　of　her　soul　to　see　him　again。

She　was　angry　with　herself；　but　the　more　she　tried　to　forget　the　young　giant　who　had　come　into　her　life　for　so　brief　an　instant；　the　more　she　speculated　upon　his　identity　and　the　strange　fate　that　had　brought　him　to　their　little；　savage　island　only　to　snatch　him　away　again　as　mysteriously　as　he　had　come；　the　less　was　the　approval　with　which　she　looked　upon　the　suit　of　Doctor　von　Horn。

Von　Horn　had　left　her；　and　strolled　down　to　the　river。　Finally　Virginia　arose　to　seek　the　crude　couch　which　had　been　spread　for　her　in　one　of　the　sleeping　rooms　of　the　long…house。　　As　she　passed　a　group　of　natives　squatted　nearby　one　of　the　number　arose　and　approached　her；　and　as　she　halted；　half　in　fright；　a　low　voice　whispered：

〃Lookee　out；　Linee；　dloctor　Hornee　velly　bad　man。〃

〃Why；　Sing！〃　exclaimed　Virginia。　　〃What　in　the　world　do　you　mean　by　saying　such　a　thing　as　that？〃

〃Never　mind；　Linee；　you　always　good　to　old　Sing。　Sing　no　likee　see　you　sadee。　　Dloctor　Hornee　velly　bad　man；　las　allee；〃　and　without　another　word　the　Chinaman　turned　and　walked　away。



13

BURIED　TREASURE


After　the　escape　of　the　girl　Barunda　and　Ninaka　had　fallen　out　over　that　affair　and　the　division　of　the　treasure；　with　the　result　that　the　panglima　had　slipped　a　knife　between　the　ribs　of　his　companion　and　dropped　the　body　overboard。

Barunda's　followers；　however；　had　been　highly　enraged　at　the　act；　and　in　the　ensuing　battle　which　they　waged　for　revenge　of　their　murdered　chief　Ninaka　and　his　crew　had　been　forced　to　take　to　the　shore　and　hide　in　the　jungle。

With　difficulty　they　had　saved　the　chest　and　dragged　it　after　them　into　the　mazes　of　the　underbrush。　　Finally；　however；　they　succeeded　in　eluding　the　angry　enemy；　and　took　up　their　march　through　the　interior　for　the　head　of　a　river　which　would　lead　them　to　the　sea　by　another　route；　it　being　Ninaka's　intention　to　dispose　of　the　contents　of　the　chest　as　quickly　as　possible　through　the　assistance　of　a　rascally　Malay　who　dwelt　at　Gunung　Tebor；　where　he　carried　on　a　thriving　trade　with　pirates。

But　presently　it　became　apparent　that　he　had　not　so　easily　escaped　the　fruits　of　his　villainy　as　he　had　supposed；　for　upon　the　evening　of　the　first　day　the　rear　of　his　little　column　was　attacked　by　some　of　Barunda's　warriors　who　had　forged　ahead　of　their　fellows；　with　the　result　that　the　head　of　Ninaka's　brother　went　to　increase　the　prestige　and　glory　of　the　house　of　the　enemy。

Ninaka　was　panic…stricken；　since　he　knew　that　hampered　as　he　was　by　the　heavy　chest　he　could　neither　fight　nor　run　to　advantage。　　And　so；　upon　a　dark　night　near　the　head　waters　of　the　river　he　sought；　he　buried　the　treasure　at　the　foot　of　a　mighty　buttress　tree；　and　with　his　parang　made　certain　cabalistic　signs　upon　the　bole　whereby　he　might　identify　the　spot　when　it　was　safe　to　return　and　disinter　his　booty。　　Then；　with　his　men；　he　hastened　down　the　stream　until　they　reached　the　head　of　prahu　navigation　where　they　stole　a　craft　and　paddled　swiftly　on　toward　the　sea。

When　the　three　bull　ourang　outangs　closed　upon　Bulan　he　felt　no　fea