the monster men-第12节

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　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　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　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　who　received　Sing's　bullet；　but　except　for　eliciting　a　howl　of　rage　the　missile　had　no　immediate　effect。　　Then　Sing　pulled　the　trigger　again　and　again；　but　the　cylinder　would　not　revolve　and　the　hammer　fell　futilely　upon　the　empty　cartridge。　　As　two　of　the　head　hunters　closed　upon　him　the　brave　Chinaman　clubbed　his　weapon　and　went　down　beneath　them　bea