the monster men-第31部分

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〃And　it　is　true　about　this　manthe　thing　that　you　have　told　us　is　true？　　He　is　not　one　of　those　created　in　the　laboratory？〃

〃No；　Mlaxon。　　You　no　makee　fine　young　man　like　Blulan　you　know　lat；　Mlaxon。　　You　makee　One；　Two；　Thlee　all　up　to　Twelve。　　All　fleaks。　　You　ought　to　know；　Mlaxon；　lat　you　no　can　makee　a　Blulan。〃

During　these　revelations　Bulan　had　sat　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　Chinaman。　　There　was　a　puzzled　expression　upon　his　wan；　blood…streaked　face。　It　was　as　though　he　were　trying　to　wrest　from　the　inner　temple　of　his　consciousness　a　vague　and　tantalizing　memory　that　eluded　him　each　time　that　he　felt　he　had　it　within　his　graspthe　key　to　the　strange　riddle　that　hid　his　origin。

The　girl　kneeled　close　beside　him；　one　small　hand　in　his。　Hope　and　happiness　had　supplanted　the　sorrow　in　her　face。　She　tore　the　hem　from　her　skirt；　to　bandage　the　bloody　furrow　that　creased　the　man's　temple。　　Professor　Maxon　stood　silently　by；　watching　the　loving　tenderness　that　marked　each　deft；　little　movement　of　her　strong；　brown　hands。

The　revelations　of　the　past　few　minutes　had　shocked　the　old　man　into　stupefied　silence。　　It　was　difficult；　almost　impossible；　for　him　to　believe　that　Sing　had　spoken　the　truth　and　that　this　man　was　not　one　of　the　creatures　of　his　own　creation；　yet　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart　he　prayed　that　it　might　prove　the　truth；　for　he　saw　that　his　daughter　loved　the　man　with　a　love　that　would　be　stayed　by　no　obstacle　or　bound　by　no　man…made　law；　or　social　custom。

The　Chinaman's　indictment　of　von　Horn　had　come　as　an　added　blow　to　Professor　Maxon；　but　it　had　brought　its　own　supporting　evidence　in　the　flood　of　recollections　it　had　induced　in　the　professor's　mind。　　Now　he　recalled　a　hundred　chance　incidents　and　conversations　with　his　assistant　that　pointed　squarely　toward　the　man's　disloyalty　and　villainy。　　He　wondered　that　he　had　been　so　blind　as　not　to　have　suspected　his　lieutenant　long　before。

Virginia　had　at　last　succeeded　in　adjusting　her　rude　bandage　and　stopping　the　flow　of　blood。　　Bulan　had　risen　weakly　to　his　feet。　　The　girl　supported　him　upon　one　side；　and　Sing　upon　the　other。　　Professor　Maxon　approached　the　little　group。

〃I　do　not　know　what　to　make　of　all　that　Sing　has　told　us；　he　said。　　〃If　you　are　not　Number　Thirteen　who　are　you？　Where　did　you　come　from？　　It　seems　very　strange　indeed　impossible；　in　fact。　　However；　if　you　will　explain　who　you　are；　I　shall　be　glad　toahconsiderahpermitting　you　to　pay　court　to　my　daughter。〃

〃I　do　not　know　who　I　am；〃　replied　Bulan。　　〃I　had　always　thought　that　I　was　only　Number　Thirteen；　until　Sing　just　spoke。　　Now　I　have　a　faint　recollection　of　drifting　for　days　upon　the　sea　in　an　open　boat　beyond　that　all　is　blank。　　I　shall　not　force　my　attentions　upon　Virginia　until　I　can　prove　my　identity；　and　that　my　past　is　one　which　I　can　lay　before　her　without　shame　until　then　I　shall　not　see　her。〃

〃You　shall　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　cried　the　girl。　〃You　love　me；　and　I　you。　　My　father　intended　to　force　me　to　marry　you　while　he　still　thought　that　you　were　a　soulless　thing。　　Now　that　it　is　quite　apparent　that　you　are　a　human　being；　and　a　gentleman；　he　hesitates；　but　I　do　not。　　As　I　have　told　you　before；　it　makes　no　difference　to　me　what　you　are。　　You　have　told　me　that　you　love　me。　　You　have　demonstrated　a　love　that　is　high；　and　noble；　and　self…sacrificing。　　More　than　that　no　girl　needs　to　know。　　I　am　satisfied　to　be　the　wife　of　Bulan　if　Bulan　is　satisfied　to　have　the　daughter　of　the　man　who　has　so　cruelly　wronged　him。〃

An　arm　went　around　the　girl's　shoulders　and　drew　her　close　to　the　man　she　had　glorified　with　her　loyalty　and　her　love。　　The　other　hand　was　stretched　out　toward　Professor　Maxon。

〃Professor；〃　said　Bulan；　〃in　the　face　of　what　Sing　has　told　us；　in　the　face　of　a　disinterested　comparison　between　myself　and　the　miserable　creatures　of　your　experiments；　is　it　not　folly　to　suppose　that　I　am　one　of　them？　　Some　day　I　shall　recall　my　past；　until　that　time　shall　prove　my　worthiness　I　shall　not　ask　for　Virginia's　hand；　and　in　this　decision　she　must　concur；　for　the　truth　might　reveal　some　insurmountable　obstacle　to　our　marriage。　　In　the　meantime　let　us　be　friends；　professor；　for　we　are　both　actuated　by　the　same　desire　the　welfare　and　happiness　of　your　daughter。〃

The　old　man　stepped　forward　and　took　Bulan's　hand。　The　expression　of　doubt　and　worry　had　left　his　face。

〃I　cannot　believe；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　other　than　a　gentleman；　and　if；　in　my　desire　to　protect　Virginia；　I　have　said　aught　to　wound　you　I　ask　your　forgiveness。〃

Bulan　responded　only　with　a　tighter　pressure　of　the　hand。

〃And　now；〃　said　the　professor；　〃let　us　return　to　the　long…house。　　I　wish　to　have　a　few　words　in　private　with　you；　von　Horn；〃　and　he　turned　to　face　his　assistant；　but　the　man　had　disappeared。

〃Where　is　Doctor　von　Horn？〃　exclaimed　the　scientist；　addressing　Sing。

〃Hornee；　him　vamoose　long　time　'go；〃　replied　the　Chinaman。　　〃He　hear　all　he　likee。〃

Slowly　the　little　party　wound　along　the　jungle　trail；　and　in　less　than　a　mile；　to　Virginia's　infinite　surprise；　came　out　upon　the　river　and　the　long…house　that　she　and　Bulan　had　searched　for　in　vain。

〃And　to　think；〃　she　cried；　〃that　all　these　awful　days　we　have　been　almost　within　sound　of　your　voices。　What　strange　freak　of　fate　sent　you　to　us　today？〃

〃We　had　about　given　up　hope；〃　replied　her　father；　〃when　Sing　suggested　to　me　that　we　cut　across　the　highlands　that　separate　this　valley　from　the　one　adjoining　it　upon　the　northeast；　where　we　should　strike　other　tribes　and　from　them　glean　some　clue　to　your　whereabouts　in　case　your　abductors　had　attempted　to　carry　you　back　to　the　sea　by　another　route。　　This　seemed　likely　in　view　of　the　fact　that　we　were　assured　by　enemies　of　Muda　Saffir　that　you　were　not　in　his　possession；　and　that　the　river　we　were　bound　for　would　lead　your　captors　most　quickly　out　of　the　domains　of　that　rascally　Malay。　You　may　imagine　our　surprise；　Virginia；　when　after　proceeding　for　but　a　mile　we　discovered　you。〃

No　sooner　had　the　party　entered　the　verandah　of　the　long…house　than　Professor　Maxon　made　inquiries　for　von　Horn；　only　to　learn　that　he　had　departed　up　stream　in　a　prahu　with　several　warriors　whom　he　had　engaged　to　accompany　him　on　a　〃hunting　expedition；〃　having　explained　that　the　white　girl　had　been　found　and　was　being　brought　to　the　long…house。

The　chief　further　explained　that　he　had　done　his　best　to　dissuade　the　white　man　from　so　rash　an　act；　as　he　was　going　directly　into　the　country　of　the　tribe　of　the　two　men　he　had　killed；　and　there　was　little　chance　that　he　ever　would　come　out　alive。

While　they　were　still　discussing　von　Horn's　act；　and　wondering　at　his　intentions；　a　native　on　the　verandah　cried　out　in　astonishment；　pointing　down　the　river。　As　they　looked　in　the　direction　he　indicated　all　saw　a　graceful；　white　cutter　gliding　around　a　nearby　turn。　At　the　oars　were　white　clad　American　sailors；　and　in　the　stern　two　officers　in　the　uniform　of　the　United　States　navy。



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999　PRISCILLA


As　the　cutter　touched　the　bank　the　entire　party　from　the　long…house；　whites　and　natives；　were　gathered　on　the　shore　to　meet　it。　　At　first　the　officers　held　off　as　though　fearing　a　hostile　demonstration；　but　when　they　saw　the　whites　among　the　throng；　a　command　was　given　to　pull　in；　and　a　moment　later　one　of　the　officers　stepped　ashore。

〃I　am　Lieutenant　May；〃　he　said；　〃of　the　U。S。S。　New　Mexico；　flagship　of　the　Pacific　Fleet。　　Have　I　the　honor　to　address　Professor　Maxon？〃

The　scientist　nodded。　　〃I　am　delighted；〃　he　said。

〃We　have　been　to　your　island；　Professor；〃　continued　the　officer；　〃and　judging　from　the　evidences　of　hasty　departure；　and　the　corpses　of　several　natives　there；　I　feared　that　some　harm　had　befallen　you。　　We　therefore　cruised　along　the　Bornean　coast　making　inquiries　of　the　natives　until　at　last　we　found　one　who　had　heard　a　rumor　of　a　party　of　whites　being　far　in　the　interior　searching　for　a　white　girl　who　had　been　stolen　from　them　by　pirates。

〃The　farther　up　this　river　we　have　come　the　greater　our　assurance　that　we　were　on　the　right　trail；　for　scarcely　a　native　we　interrogated　but　had　seen　or　heard　of　some　of　your　party。　　Mixed　with　the　truth　they　told　us　were　strange　tales　of　terrible　monsters　led　by　a　gigantic　white　man。〃

〃The　imaginings　of　childish　minds；〃　said　the　professor。　〃However；　why；　my　dear　lieutenant；　did　you　honor　me　by　visiting　my　island？〃

The　officer　hesitated　a　moment　before　answering；　his　eyes　running　about　over　the　assembly　as　though　in　search　of　someone。

〃Well；　Professor　Maxon；　to　be　quite　frank；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃we　learned　at　Singapore　the　personnel　of　your　party；　which　included　a　former　naval　officer　whom　we　have　been　seeking　for　many　years。　　We　came　to　your　island　to　arrest　this　man　I　refer　to　Doctor　Carl　von　Horn。〃

When　the　lieutenant　learned　of　the　recent　disappearance　of　the　man　he　sought；　he　expressed　his　determination　to　push　on　at　once　in　pursuit；　and　as　Professor　Maxon　feared　again　to　remain　unprotected　in　the　heart　of　the　Bornean　wilderness　his　entire　party　was　taken　aboard　the　cutter。

A　few　miles　up　the　river　they　came　upon　one　of　the　Dyaks　who　had　accompanied　von　Horn；　a　few　hours　earlier。　The　warrior　sat　smoking　beside　a　beached　prahu。　When　interrogated　he　explained　that　von　Horn　and　the　balance　of　his　crew　had　gone　inland；　leaving　him　to　guard　the　boat。　　He　said　that　he　thought　he　could　guide　them　to　the　spot　where　the　white　man　might　be　found。

Professor　Maxon　and　Sing　accompanied　one　of　the　officers　and　a　dozen　sailors　in　the　wake　of　the　Dyak　guide。　Virginia　and　Bulan　remained　in　the　cutter；　as　the　latter　was　still　too　weak　to　attempt　the　hard　march　through　the　jungle。　For　an　hour　the　party　traversed　the　trail　in　the　wake　of　von　Horn　and　his　savage　companions。　　They　had　come　almost　to　the　spot　when　their　ears　were　assailed　by　the　weird　and　blood　curdling　yells　of　native　warriors；　and　a　moment　later　von　Horn's　escort　dashed　into　view　in　full　retreat。

At　sight　of　the　white　men　they　halted　in　relief；　pointing　back　in　the　direction　they　had　come；　and　jabbering　excitedly　in　their　native　tongue。　Warily　the　party　advanced　again　behind　these　new　guides；　but　when　they　reached　the　spot　they　sought；　the　cause　of　the　Dyaks'　panic　had　fled；　w