the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第17章
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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；
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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
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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 crept toward the
bungalow no force was interposed to stop them。
The moon had risen now； so that from the dark shadows of the
palisade Muda Saffir and his savages watched the party with Bududreen
squatting about the heavy chest； and saw the two who crept toward the
house。 To Muda Saffir's evil mind there was but one explanation。
Bududreen had discovered a rich treasure； and having stolen that had
dispatched two of his men to bring him the girl also。
Rajah Muda Saffir was furious。 In subdued whispers he sent a half
dozen of his Dyaks back beneath the shadow of the palisade to the
opposite side of the bungalow where they were to enter the building；
killing all within except the girl； whom they were to carry straight to the
beach and the war prahus。
Then with the balance of his horde he crept alone in the darkness until
opposite Bududreen and the watchers about the chest。 Just as the two
who crept toward the bungalow reached it； Muda Saffir gave the word for
the attack upon the Malays and lascars who guarded the treasure。 With
savage yells they dashed upon the unsuspecting men。 Parangs and spears
glistened in the moonlight。 There was a brief and bloody encounter； for
the cowardly Bududreen and his equally cowardly crew had had no
alternative but to fight； so suddenly had the foe fallen upon them。
In a moment the savage Borneo head hunters had added five grisly
trophies to their record。 Bududreen and another were racing madly
toward the jungle beyond the campong。
As Number Thirteen arose to continue his search for Professor Maxon
his quick ear caught the shuffling of bare feet upon the verandah。 As he
paused to listen there broke suddenly upon the still night the hideous war
cries of the Dyaks； and the screams and shrieks of their frightened victims
in the campong without。 Almost simultaneously Professor Maxon and
Sing rushed into the living room to ascertain the cause of the wild alarm；
while at the same instant Bududreen's assassins sprang through the door
with upraised krisses； to be almost immediately followed by Muda Saffir's
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six Dyaks brandishing their long spears and wicked parangs。
In an instant the little room was filled with howling； fighting men。
The Dyaks； whose orders as well as inclinations incited them to a general
massacre； fell first upon Bududreen's lascars who； cornered in the small
room； fought like demons for their lives； so that when the Dyaks had
overcome them two of their own number lay dead beside the dead bodies
of Bududreen's henchmen。
Sing and Professor Maxon stood in the doorway to the professor's
room gazing upon the scene of carnage in surprise and consternation。
The scientist was unarmed； but Sing held a long； wicked looking Colt in
readiness for any contingency。 It was evident the celestial was no
stranger to the use of his deadly weapon； nor to the moments of extreme
and sudden peril which demanded its use； for he seemed no more
perturbed than had he been but hanging out his weekly wash。
As Number Thirteen watched the two men from the dark shadows of
the room in which he stood； he saw that both were calmthe Chinaman
with the calmness of perfect courage； the other through lack of full
understanding of the grave danger which menaced him。 In the eyes of
the latter shone a strange gleamit was the wild light of insanity that the
sudden nervous shock of the attack had brought to a premature
culmination。
Now the four remaining Dyaks were advancing upon the two men。
Sing levelled his revolver and fired at the foremost； and at the same instant
Professor Maxon； with a shrill； maniacal scream； launched himself full
upon a second。 Number Thirteen saw the blood spurt from a superficial
wound in the shoulder of the fellow
