the monster men-第13章

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　a　mile　from　camp。

At　the　same　moment　von　Horn　was　leading　Virginia　Maxon　farther　and　farther　from　the　north　campong　where　resistance；　if　there　was　to　be　any；　would　be　most　likely　to　occur。　At　his　superior's　cough　Bududreen　had　signalled　silently　to　the　men　within　the　enclosure；　and　a　moment　later　six　savage　lascars　crept　stealthily　to　his　side。

The　moment　that　von　Horn　and　the　girl　were　entirely　concealed　by　the　darkness；　the　seven　moved　cautiously　along　the　shadow　of　the　palisade　toward　the　north　campong。　　There　was　murder　in　the　cowardly　hearts　of　several　of　them；　and　stupidity　and　lust　in　the　hearts　of　all。　　There　was　no　single　one　who　would　not　betray　his　best　friend　for　a　handful　of　silver；　nor　any　but　was　inwardly　hoping　and　scheming　to　the　end　that　he　might　alone　possess　both　the　chest　and　the　girl。

It　was　such　a　pack　of　scoundrels　that　Bududreen　led　toward　the　north　campong　to　bear　away　the　treasure。　In　the　breast　of　the　leader　was　the　hope　that　he　had　planted　enough　of　superstitious　terror　in　their　hearts　to　make　the　sight　of　the　supposed　author　of　their　imagined　wrongs　sufficient　provocation　for　his　murder；　for　Bududreen　was　too　sly　to　give　the　order　for　the　killing　of　a　white　manthe　arm　of　the　white　man's　law　was　too　longbut　he　felt　that　he　would　rest　easier　were　he　to　leave　the　island　with　the　knowledge　that　only　a　dead　man　remained　behind　with　the　secret　of　his　perfidy。

While　these　events　were　transpiring　Number　Thirteen　was　pacing　restlessly　back　and　forth　the　length　of　the　workshop。　　But　a　short　time　before　he　had　had　his　authorthe　author　of　his　miserywithin　the　four　walls　of　his　prison；　and　yet　he　had　not　wreaked　the　vengeance　that　was　in　his　heart。　　Twice　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　springing　upon　the　man；　but　both　times　the　other's　eyes　had　met　his　and　something　which　he　was　not　able　to　comprehend　had　stayed　him。　　Now　that　the　other　had　gone　and　he　was　alone　contemplation　of　the　hideous　wrong　that　had　been　done　loosed　again　the　flood　gates　of　his　pent　rage。

The　thought　that　he　had　been　made　by　this　manmade　in　the　semblance　of　a　human　being；　yet　denied　by　the　manner　of　his　creation　a　place　among　the　lowest　of　Nature's　creaturesfilled　him　with　fury；　but　it　was　not　this　thought　that　drove　him　to　the　verge　of　madness。　　It　was　the　knowledge；　suggested　by　von　Horn；　that　Virginia　Maxon　would　look　upon　him　in　horror；　as　a　grotesque　and　loathsome　monstrosity。

He　had　no　standard　and　no　experience　whereby　he　might　classify　his　sentiments　toward　this　wonderful　creature。　All　he　knew　was　that　his　life　would　be　complete　could　he　be　near　her　alwayssee　her　and　speak　with　her　daily。　　He　had　thought　of　her　almost　constantly　since　those　short；　delicious　moments　that　he　had　held　her　in　his　arms。　　Again　and　again　he　experienced　in　retrospection　the　exquisite　thrill　that　had　run　through　every　fiber　of　his　being　at　the　sight　of　her　averted　eyes　and　flushed　face。　　And　the　more　he　let　his　mind　dwell　upon　the　wonderful　happiness　that　was　denied　him　because　of　his　origin；　the　greater　became　his　wrath　against　his　creator。

It　was　now　quite　dark　without。　　The　door　leading　to　Professor　Maxon's　campong；　left　unlatched　earlier　in　the　evening　by　von　Horn　for　sinister　motives　of　his　own；　was　still　unbarred　through　a　fatal　coincidence　of　forgetfulness　on　the　part　of　the　professor。

Number　Thirteen　approached　this　door。　　He　laid　his　hand　upon　the　knob。　　A　moment　later　he　was　moving　noiselessly　across　the　campong　toward　the　house　in　which　Professor　Maxon　lay　peacefully　sleeping；　while　at　the　south　gate　Bududreen　and　his　six　cutthroats　crept　cautiously　within　and　slunk　in　the　dense　shadows　of　the　palisade　toward　the　workshop　where　lay　the　heavy　chest　of　their　desire。　　At　the　same　instant　Muda　Saffir　with　fifty　of　his　head…hunting　Dyaks　emerged　from　the　jungle　east　of　the　camp；　bent　on　discovering　the　whereabouts　of　the　girl　the　Malay　sought　and　bearing　her　away　to　his　savage　court　far　within　the　jungle　fastness　of　his　Bornean　principality。

Number　Thirteen　reached　the　verandah　of　the　house　and　peered　through　the　window　into　the　living　room；　where　an　oil　lamp；　turned　low；　dimly　lighted　the　interior；　which　he　saw　was　unoccupied。　　Going　to　the　door　he　pushed　it　open　and　entered　the　apartment。　　All　was　still　within。　　He　listened　intently　for　some　slight　sound　which　might　lead　him　to　the　victim　he　sought；　or　warn　him　from　the　apartment　of　the　girl　or　that　of　von　Hornhis　business　was　with　Professor　Maxon。　　He　did　not　wish　to　disturb　the　others　whom　he　believed　to　be　sleeping　somewhere　within　the　structurea　low；　rambling　bungalow　of　eight　rooms。

Cautiously　he　approached　one　of　the　four　doors　which　opened　from　the　living　room。　　Gently　he　turned　the　knob　and　pushed　the　door　ajar。　　The　interior　of　the　apartment　beyond　was　in　inky　darkness；　but　Number　Thirteen's　greatest　fear　was　that　he　might　have　stumbled　upon　the　sleeping　room　of　Virginia　Maxon；　and　that　if　she　were　to　discover　him　there；　not　only　would　she　be　frightened；　but　her　cries　would　alarm　the　other　inmates　of　the　dwelling。

The　thought　of　the　horror　that　his　presence　would　arouse　within　her；　the　knowledge　that　she　would　look　upon　him　as　a　terrifying　monstrosity；　added　new　fuel　to　the　fires　of　hate　that　raged　in　his　bosom　against　the　man　who　had　created　him。　　With　clenched　fists；　and　tight　set　jaws　the　great；　soulless　giant　moved　across　the　dark　chamber　with　the　stealthy　noiselessness　of　a　tiger。　Feeling　before　him　with　hands　and　feet　he　made　the　circuit　of　the　room　before　he　reached　the　bed。

Scarce　breathing　he　leaned　over　and　groped　across　the　covers　with　his　fingers　in　search　of　his　preythe　bed　was　empty。　　With　the　discovery　came　a　sudden　nervous　reaction　that　sent　him　into　a　cold　sweat。　　Weakly；　he　seated　himself　upon　the　edge　of　the　bed。　Had　his　fingers　found　the　throat　of　Professor　Maxon　beneath　the　coverlet　they　would　never　have　released　their　hold　until　life　had　forever　left　the　body　of　the　scientist；　but　now　that　the　highest　tide　of　the　young　man's　hatred　had　come　and　gone　he　found　himself　for　the　first　time　assailed　by　doubts。

Suddenly　he　recalled　the　fact　that　the　man　whose　life　he　sought　was　the　father　of　the　beautiful　creature　he　adored。　Perhaps　she　loved　him　and　would　be　unhappy　were　he　taken　away　from　her。　　Number　Thirteen　did　not　know；　of　course；　but　the　idea　obtruded　itself；　and　had　sufficient　weight　to　cause　him　to　remain　seated　upon　the　edge　of　the　bed　meditating　upon　the　act　he　contemplated。　He　had　by　no　means　given　up　the　idea　of　killing　Professor　Maxon；　but　now　there　were　doubts　and　obstacles　which　had　not　been　manifest　before。

His　standards　of　right　and　wrong　were　but　half　formed；　from　the　brief　attempts　of　Professor　Maxon　and　von　Horn　to　inculcate　proper　moral　perceptions　in　a　mind　entirely　devoid　of　hereditary　inclinations　toward　either　good　or　bad；　but　he　realized　one　thing　most　perfectlythat　to　be　a　soulless　thing　was　to　be　damned　in　the　estimation　of　Virginia　Maxon；　and　it　now　occurred　to　him　that　to　kill　her　father　would　be　the　act　of　a　soulless　being。　It　was　this　thought　more　than　another　that　caused　him　to　pause　in　the　pursuit　of　his　revenge；　since　he　knew　that　the　act　he　contemplated　would　brand　him　the　very　thing　he　was；　yet　wished　not　to　be。

At　length；　however；　he　slowly　comprehended　that　no　act　of　his　would　change　the　hideous　fact　of　his　origin；　that　nothing　would　make　him　acceptable　in　her　eyes；　and　with　a　shake　of　his　head　he　arose　and　stepped　toward　the　living　room　to　continue　his　search　for　the　professor。

In　the　workshop　Bududreen　and　his　men　had　easily　located　the　chest。　　Dragging　it　into　the　north　campong　the　Malay　was　about　to　congratulate　himself　upon　the　ease　with　which　the　theft　had　been　accomplished　when　one　of　his　fellows　declared　his　intention　of　going　to　the　house　for　the　purpose　of　dispatching　Professor　Maxon；　lest　the　influence　of　his　evil　eye　should　overtake　them　with　some　terrible　curse　when　the　loss　of　the　chest　should　be　discovered。

While　this　met　fully　with　Bududreen's　plans　he　urged　the　man　against　any　such　act　that　he　might　have　witnesses　to　prove　that　he　not　only　had　no　hand　in　the　crime；　but　had　exerted　his　authority　to　prevent　it；　but　when　two　of　the　men　separated　themselves　from　the　party　and　crep