the monster men-第8部分

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With　an　ugly　look　upon　his　face　von　Horn　turned　his　back　upon　the　older　manwhat　little　feeling　of　loyalty　and　affection　he　had　ever　felt　for　him　gone　forever。　Sing　was　looking　about　for　evidences　of　the　cause　of　Number　One's　death　and　the　probable　direction　in　which　Virginia　Maxon　had　disappeared。

〃What　on　earth　could　have　killed　this　enormous　brute；　Sing？　Have　you　any　idea？〃　asked　von　Horn。

The　Chinaman　shook　his　head。

〃No　savvy；〃　he　replied。　　〃Blig　flight。　　Look　see；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　torn　and　trampled　turf；　the　broken　bushes；　and　to　one　or　two　small　trees　that　had　been　snapped　off　by　the　impact　of　the　two　mighty　bodies　that　had　struggled　back　and　forth　about　the　little　clearing。

〃This　way；〃　cried　Sing　presently；　and　started　off　once　more　into　the　brush；　but　this　time　in　a　northwesterly　direction；　toward　camp。

In　silence　the　three　men　followed　the　new　trail；　all　puzzled　beyond　measure　to　account　for　the　death　of　Number　One　at　the　hands　of　what　must　have　been　a　creature　of　superhuman　strength。　　What　could　it　have　been！　　It　was　impossible　that　any　of　the　Malays　or　lascars　could　have　done　the　thing；　and　there　were　no　other　creatures；　brute　or　human；　upon　the　island　large　enough　to　have　coped　even　for　an　instant　with　the　ferocious　brutality　of　the　dead　monster；　except　von　Horn's　brain　came　to　a　sudden　halt　at　the　thought。　Could　it　be？　　There　seemed　no　other　explanation。　Virginia　Maxon　had　been　rescued　from　one　soulless　monstrosity　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　another　equally　irresponsible　and　terrifying。

Others　then　must　have　escaped　from　the　campong。　Von　Horn　loosened　his　guns　in　their　holsters；　and　took　a　fresh　grip　upon　his　bull　whip　as　he　urged　Sing　forward　upon　the　trail。　　He　wondered　which　one　it　was；　but　not　once　did　it　occur　to　him　that　the　latest　result　of　Professor　Maxon's　experiments　could　be　the　rescuer　of　Virginia　Maxon。　　In　his　mind　he　could　see　only　the　repulsive　features　of　one　of　the　others。

Quite　unexpectedly　they　came　upon　the　two；　and　with　a　shout　von　Horn　leaped　forward；　his　bull　whip　upraised。　Number　Thirteen　turned　in　surprise　at　the　cry；　and　sensing　a　new　danger　for　her　who　lay　in　his　arms；　he　set　her　gently　upon　the　ground　behind　him　and　advanced　to　meet　his　assailant。

〃Out　of　the　way；　youmonstrosity；〃　cried　von　Horn。　〃If　you　have　harmed　Miss　Maxon　I'll　put　a　bullet　in　your　heart！〃

Number　Thirteen　did　not　understand　the　words　that　the　other　addressed　to　him　but　he　interpreted　the　man's　actions　as　menacing；　not　to　himself；　but　to　the　creature　he　now　considered　his　particular　charge；　and　so　he　met　the　advancing　man；　more　to　keep　him　from　the　girl　than　to　offer　him　bodily　injury　for　he　recognized　him　as　one　of　the　two　who　had　greeted　his　first　dawning　consciousness。

Von　Horn；　possibly　intentionally；　misinterpreted　the　other's　motive；　and　raising　his　bull　whip　struck　Number　Thirteen　a　vicious　cut　across　the　face；　at　the　same　time　levelling　his　revolver　point　blank　at　the　broad　beast。　But　before　ever　he　could　pull　the　trigger　an　avalanche　of　muscle　was　upon　him；　and　he　went　down　to　the　rotting　vegetation　of　the　jungle　with　five　sinewy　fingers　at　his　throat。

His　revolver　exploded　harmlessly　in　the　air；　and　then　another　hand　wrenched　it　from　him　and　hurled　it　far　into　the　underbrush。　　Number　Thirteen　knew　nothing　of　the　danger　of　firearms；　but　the　noise　had　startled　him　and　his　experience　with　the　stinging　cut　of　the　bull　whip　convinced　him　that　this　other　was　some　sort　of　instrument　of　torture　of　which　it　would　be　as　well　to　deprive　his　antagonist。

Virginia　Maxon　looked　on　in　horror　as　she　realized　that　her　rescuer　was　quickly　choking　Dr。　von　Horn　to　death。　With　a　little　cry　she　sprang　to　her　feet　and　ran　toward　them；　just　as　her　father　emerged　from　the　underbrush　through　which　he　had　been　struggling　in　the　trail　of　the　agile　Chinaman　and　von　Horn。　　Placing　her　hand　upon　the　great　wrist　of　the　giant　she　tried　to　drag　his　fingers　from　von　Horn's　throat；　pleading　meanwhile　with　both　voice　and　eyes　for　the　life　of　the　man　she　thought　loved　her。

Again　Number　Thirteen　translated　the　intent　without　understanding　the　words；　and　releasing　von　Horn　permitted　him　to　rise。　　With　a　bound　he　was　upon　his　feet　and　at　the　same　instant　brought　his　other　gun　from　his　side　and　levelled　it　upon　the　man　who　had　released　him；　but　as　his　finger　tightened　upon　the　trigger　Virginia　Maxon　sprang　between　them　and　grasping　von　Horn's　wrist　deflected　the　muzzle　of　the　gun　just　as　the　cartridge　exploded。　Simultaneously　Professor　Maxon　sprang　from　his　grasp　and　hurled　him　back　with　the　superhuman　strength　of　a　maniac。

〃Fool！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　would　you　do？　　Kill；〃　and　then　of　a　sudden　he　realized　his　daughter's　presence　and　the　necessity　for　keeping　the　origin　of　the　young　giant　from　her　knowledge。

〃I　am　surprised　at　you；　Dr。　von　Horn；〃　he　continued　in　a　more　level　voice。　　〃You　must　indeed　have　forgotten　yourself　to　thus　attack　a　stranger　upon　our　island　until　you　know　whether　he　be　friend　or　foe。　　Come！　Escort　my　daughter　to　the　camp；　while　I　make　the　proper　apologies　to　this　gentleman。〃　　As　he　saw　that　both　Virginia　and　von　Horn　hesitated；　he　repeated　his　command　in　a　peremptory　tone；　adding；　〃Quick；　now；　do　as　I　bid　you。〃

The　moment　had　given　von　Horn　an　opportunity　to　regain　his　self…control；　and　realizing　as　well　as　did　his　employer；　but　from　another　motive；　the　necessity　of　keeping　the　truth　from　the　girl；　he　took　her　arm　and　led　her　gently　from　the　scene。　At　Professor　Maxon's　direction　Sing　accompanied　them。

Now　in　Number　Thirteen's　brief　career　he　had　known　no　other　authority　than　Professor　Maxon's；　and　so　it　was　that　when　his　master　laid　a　hand　upon　his　wrist　he　remained　beside　him　while　another　walked　away　with　the　lovely　creature　he　had　thought　his　very　own。

Until　after　dark　the　professor　kept　the　young　man　hidden　in　the　jungle；　and　then；　safe　from　detection；　led　him　back　to　the　laboratory。



5

TREASON


On　their　return　to　camp　after　her　rescue　Virginia　talked　a　great　deal　to　von　Horn　about　the　young　giant　who　had　rescued　her；　until　the　man　feared　that　she　was　more　interested　in　him　than　seemed　good　for　his　own　plans。

He　had　now　cast　from　him　the　last　vestige　of　his　loyalty　for　his　employer；　and　thus　freed　had　determined　to　use　every　means　within　his　power　to　win　Professor　Maxon's　daughter；　and　with　her　the　heritage　of　wealth　which　he　knew　would　be　hers　should　her　father；　through　some　unforeseen　mishap；　meet　death　before　he　could　return　to　civilization　and　alter　his　will；　a　contingency　which　von　Horn　knew　he　might　have　to　consider　should　he　marry　the　girl　against　her　father's　wishes；　and　thus　thwart　the　crazed　man's　mad；　but　no　less　dear　project。

He　realized　that　first　he　must　let　the　girl　fully　understand　the　grave　peril　in　which　she　stood；　and　turn　her　hope　of　protection　from　her　father　to　himself。　He　imagined　that　the　initial　step　in　undermining　Virginia's　confidence　in　her　father　would　be　to　narrate　every　detail　of　the　weird　experiments　which　Professor　Maxon　had　brought　to　such　successful　issues　during　their　residence　upon　the　island。

The　girl's　own　questioning　gave　him　the　lead　he　needed。

〃Where　could　that　horrid　creature　have　come　from　that　set　upon　me　in　the　jungle　and　nearly　killed　poor　Sing？〃　she　asked。

For　a　moment　von　Horn　was　silent；　in　well　simulated　hesitancy　to　reply　to　her　query。

〃I　cannot　tell　you；　Miss　Maxon；〃　he　said　sadly；　〃how　much　I　should　hate　to　be　the　one　to　ignore　your　father's　commands；　and　enlighten　you　upon　this　and　other　subjects　which　lie　nearer　to　your　personal　welfare　than　you　can　possibly　guess；　but　I　feel　that　after　the　horrors　of　this　day　duty　demands　that　I　must　lay　all　before　youyou　cannot　again　be　exposed　to　the　horrors　from　which　you　were　rescued　only　by　a　miracle。〃

〃I　cannot　imagine　what　you　hint　at；　Dr。　von　Horn；〃　said　Virginia；　〃but　if　to　explain　to　me　will　necessitate　betraying　my　father's　confidence　I　prefer　that　you　remain　silent。〃

〃You　do　not　understand；〃　broke　in　the　man；　〃you　cannot　guess　the　horrors　that　I　have　seen　upon　this　island；　or　the　worse　horrors　that　are　to　come。　　Could　you　dream　of　what　lies　in　store　for　you；　you　would　seek　death　rather　than　face　the　future。　　I　have　been　loyal　to　your　father；　Virginia；　but　were　you　not　blind；　or　indifferent；　you　would　long　since　have　seen　that　your　welfare　means　more　to　me　than　my　loyalty　to　him　more　to　me　than　my　life　or　my　honor。

〃You　asked　where　the　creature　came　from　that　attacked　you　today。　　I　shall　tell　you。　　It　is　one　of　a　dozen　similarly　hideous　things　that　your　father　has　created　in　his　mad　desire　to　solve　the　problem　of　life。　He　has　solved　it；　but；　God；　at　what　a　price　in　misshapen；　soulless；　hideous　monsters！〃

The　girl　looked　up　at　him；　horror　stricken。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　my　father　in　a　mad　attempt　to　usurp　the　functions　of　God　created　that　awful　thing？〃　she　asked　in　a　low；　faint　voice；　〃and　that　there　are　others　like　it　upon　the　island？〃

〃In　the　campong　next　to　yours　there　are　a　dozen　others；〃　replied　von　Horn；　〃nor　would　it　be　easy　to　say　which　is　the　most　hideous　and　repulsive。　　They　are　grotesque　caricatures　of　humanitywithout　soul　and　almost　without　brain。〃

〃God！〃　murmured　the　girl；　burying　her　face　in　her　hands；　〃he　has　gone　mad；　he　has　gone　mad。〃

〃I　truly　believe　that　he　is　mad；〃　said　von　Horn；　〃nor　could　you　doubt　it　for　a　moment　were　I　to　tell　you　the　worst。〃

〃The　worst！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。　　〃What　could　be　worse　than　that　which　you　already　have　divulged？　　Oh；　how　could　you　have　permitted　it？〃

〃There　is　much　worse　than　I　have　told　you；　Virginia。　So　much　worse　that　I　can　scarce　force　my　lips　to　frame　the　words；　but　you　must　be　told。　　I　would　be　more　criminally　liable　than　your　father　were　I　to　keep　it　from　you；　for　my　brain；　at　least；　is　not　crazed。　Virginia；　you　have　in　your　mind　a　picture　of　the　hideous　thing　that　carried　you　off　into　the　jungle？〃

〃Yes；〃　and　as　the　girl　replied　a　convulsive　shudder　racked　her　frame。

Von　Horn　grasped　her　arm　gently　as　he　went　on；　as　though　to　support　and　protect　her　during　the　shock　that　he　was　about　to　administer。

〃Virginia；〃　he　said　in　a　very　low　voice；　〃it　is　your　father's　intention　to　wed　you　to　one　of　his　creatures。〃

The　girl　broke　from　him　with　an　angry　cr