the monster men-第26节

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ushes　ahead；　where　the　authors　of　the　commotion　were　evidently　moving　swiftly　through　the　jungle。

Presently　a　strange　sight　burst　upon　his　astonished　vision。　It　was　the　hideous　Number　Three　in　mad　pursuit　of　a　female　ourang　outang；　and　an　instant　later　he　saw　Number　Twelve　and　Number　Ten　in　battle　with　two　males；　while　beyond　he　heard　the　voice　of　a　man　shouting　encouragement　to　some　one　as　he　dashed　through　the　jungle。　It　was　in　this　last　event　that　Sing's　interest　centered；　for　he　was　sure　that　he　recognized　the　voice　as　that　of　Bulan；　while　the　first　cry　for　help　which　he　had　heard　had　been　in　a　woman's　voice；　and　Sing　knew　that　its　author　could　be　none　other　than　Virginia　Maxon。

Those　whom　he　pursued　were　moving　rapidly　through　the　jungle　which　was　now　becoming　more　and　more　open；　but　the　Chinaman　was　no　mean　runner；　and　it　was　not　long　before　he　drew　within　sight　of　the　object　of　his　pursuit。

His　first　glimpse　was　of　Bulan；　running　swiftly　between　two　huge　bull　ourang　outangs　that　snapped　and　tore　at　him　as　he　bounded　forward　cutting　and　slashing　at　his　foes　with　his　heavy　whip。　　Just　in　front　of　the　trio　was　another　bull　bearing　in　his　arms　the　unconscious　form　of　Virginia　Maxon　who　had　fainted　at　the　first　response　to　her　cry　for　help。　　Sing　was　armed　with　a　heavy　revolver　but　he　dared　not　attempt　to　use　it　for　fear　that　he　might　wound　either　Bulan　or　the　girl；　and　so　he　was　forced　to　remain　but　a　passive　spectator　of　what　ensued。

Bulan；　notwithstanding　the　running　battle　the　two　bulls　were　forcing　upon　him；　was　gaining　steadily　upon　the　fleeing　ourang　outang　that　was　handicapped　by　the　weight　of　the　fair　captive　he　bore　in　his　huge；　hairy　arms。　As　they　came　into　a　natural　clearing　in　the　jungle　the　fleeing　bull　glanced　back　to　see　his　pursuer　almost　upon　him；　and　with　an　angry　roar　turned　to　meet　the　charge。

In　another　instant　Bulan　and　the　three　bulls　were　rolling　and　tumbling　about　the　ground；　a　mass　of　flying　fur　and　blood　from　which　rose　fierce　and　angry　roars　and　growls；　while　Virginia　Maxon　lay　quietly　upon　the　sward　where　her　captor　had　dropped　her。

Sing　was　about　to　rush　forward　and　pick　her　up；　when　he　saw　von　Horn　and　his　Dyaks　leap　into　the　clearing；　to　which　they　had　been　guided　by　the　sounds　of　the　chase　and　the　encounter。　　The　doctor　halted　at　the　sight　that　met　his　eyesthe　prostrate　form　of　the　girl　and　the　man　battling　with　three　huge　bulls。

Then　he　gathered　up　Virginia　Maxon；　and　with　a　sign　to　his　Dyaks；　who　were　thoroughly　frightened　at　the　mere　sight　of　the　white　giant　of　whom　they　had　heard　such　terrible　stories；　turned　and　hastened　back　in　the　direction　from　which　they　had　come；　leaving　the　man　to　what　seemed　must　be　a　speedy　and　horrible　death。

Sing　Lee　was　astounded　at　the　perfidy　of　the　act。　To　Bulan　alone　was　due　the　entire　credit　of　having　rescued　Professor　Maxon's　daughter；　and　yet　in　the　very　presence　of　his　self…sacrificing　loyalty　and　devotion　von　Horn　had　deserted　him　without　making　the　least　attempt　to　aid　him。　　But　the　wrinkled　old　Chinaman　was　made　of　different　metal；　and　had　started　forward　to　assist　Bulan　when　a　heavy　hand　suddenly　fell　upon　his　shoulder。　　Looking　around　he　saw　the　hideous　face　of　Number　Ten　snarling　into　his。　　The　bloodshot　eyes　of　the　monster　were　flaming　with　rage。　　He　had　been　torn　and　chewed　by　the　bull　with　which　he　had　fought；　and　though　he　had　finally　overcome　and　killed　the　beast；　a　female　which　he　had　pursued　had　eluded　him。　　In　a　frenzy　of　passion　and　blood　lust　aroused　by　his　wounds；　disappointment　and　the　taste　of　warm　blood　which　still　smeared　his　lips　and　face；　he　had　been　seeking　the　female　when　he　suddenly　stumbled　upon　the　hapless　Sing。

With　a　roar　he　grasped　the　Chinaman　as　though　to　break　him　in　two；　but　Sing　was　not　at　all　inclined　to　give　up　his　life　without　a　struggle；　and　Number　Ten　was　quick　to　learn　that　no　mean　muscles　moved　beneath　that　wrinkled；　yellow　hide。

There　could；　however；　have　been　but　one　outcome　to　the　unequal　struggle　had　Sing　not　been　armed　with　a　revolver；　though　it　was　several　seconds　before　he　could　bring　it　into　play　upon　the　great　thing　that　shook　and　tossed　him　about　as　though　he　had　been　a　rat　in　the　mouth　of　a　terrier。　But　suddenly　there　was　the　sharp　report　of　a　firearm；　and　another　of　Professor　Maxon's　unhappy　experiments　sank　back　into　the　nothingness　from　which　he　had　conjured　it。

Then　Sing　turned　his　attention　to　Bulan　and　his　three　savage　assailants；　but；　except　for　the　dead　body　of　a　bull　ourang　outang　upon　the　spot　where　he　had　last　seen　the　four　struggling；　there　was　no　sign　either　of　the　white　man　or　his　antagonists；　nor；　though　he　listened　attentively；　could　he　catch　the　slightest　sound　within　the　jungle　other　than　the　rustling　of　the　leaves　and　the　raucous　cries　of　the　brilliant　birds　that　flitted　among　the　gorgeous　blooms　about　him。

For　half　an　hour　he　searched　in　every　direction；　but　finally；　fearing　that　he　might　become　lost　in　the　mazes　of　the　unfamiliar　forest　he　reluctantly　turned　his　face　toward　the　river　and　the　long…house　that　sheltered　his　party。

Here　he　found　Professor　Maxon　much　improvedthe　safe　return　of　Virginia　having　acted　as　a　tonic　upon　him。　The　girl　and　her　father　sat　with　von　Horn　upon　the　verandah　of　the　long…house　as　Sing　clambered　up　the　notched　log　that　led　to　it　from　the　ground。　　At　sight　of　Sing's　wrinkled　old　face　Virginia　Maxon　sprang　to　her　feet　and　ran　forward　to　greet　him；　for　she　had　been　very　fond　of　the　shrewd　and　kindly　Chinaman　of　whom　she　had　seen　so　much　during　the　dreary　months　of　her　imprisonment　within　the　campong。

〃Oh；　Sing；〃　she　cried；　〃where　have　you　been？　　We　were　all　so　worried　to　think　that　no　sooner　was　one　of　us　rescued　than　another　became　lost。〃

〃Sing　takee　walk；　Linee；　las　all；〃　said　the　grinning　Chinaman。　〃Velly　glad　see　Linee　black　'gain；〃　and　that　was　all　that　Sing　Lee　had　to　say　of　the　adventures　through　which　he　had　just　passed；　and　the　strange　sights　that　he　had　seen。

Again　and　again　the　girl　and　von　Horn　narrated　the　stirring　scenes　of　the　day；　the　latter　being　compelled　to　repeat　all　that　had　transpired　from　the　moment　that　he　had　heard　Virginia's　cry；　though　it　was　apparent　that　he　only　consented　to　speak　of　his　part　in　her　rescue　under　the　most　considerable　urging。　　Very　pretty　modesty；　thought　Sing　when　he　had　heard　the　doctor's　version　of　the　affair。

〃You　see；〃　said　von　Horn；　〃when　I　reached　the　spot　Number　Three；　the　brute　that　you　thought　was　an　ape；　had　just　turned　you　over　to　Number　Thirteen；　or；　as　the　natives　now　call　him；　Bulan。　　You　were　then　in　a　faint；　and　when　I　attacked　Bulan　he　dropped　you　to　defend　himself。　　I　had　expected　a　bitter　fight　from　him　after　the　wild　tales　the　natives　have　been　telling　of　his　ferocity；　but　it　was　soon　evident　that　he　is　an　arrant　coward；　for　I　did　not　even　have　to　fire　my　revolver　a　few　thumps　with　the　butt　of　it　upon　his　brainless　skull　sent　him　howling　into　the　jungle　with　his　pack　at　his　heels。〃

〃How　fortunate　it　is；　my　dear　doctor；〃　said　Professor　Maxon；　〃that　you　were　bright　enough　to　think　of　trailing　the　miscreant　into　the　jungle。　　But　for　that　Virginia　would　still　be　in　his　clutches　and　by　this　time　he　would　have　been　beyond　all　hope　of　capture。　How　can　we　ever　repay　you；　dear　friend？〃

〃That　you　were　generous　enough　to　arrange　when　we　first　embarked　upon　the　search　for　your　daughter；〃　replied　von　Horn。

〃Just　so；　just　so；〃　said　the　professor；　but　a　shade　of　trouble　tinged　the　expression　of　his　face；　and　a　moment　later　he　arose；　saying　that　he　felt　weak　and　tired　and　would　go　to　his　sleeping　room　and　lie　down　for　a　while。　The　fact　was　that　Professor　Maxon　regretted　the　promise　he　had　made　von　Horn　relative　to　his　daughter。

Once　before　he　had　made　plans　for　her　marriage　only　to　regret　them　later；　he　hoped　that　he　had　made　no　mistake　this　time；　but　he　realized　that　it　had　scarcely　been　fair　to　Virginia　to　promise　her　to　his　assistant　without　first　obtaining　her　consent。　　Yet　a　promise　was　a　promise；　and；　again；　was　it　not　true　that　but　for　von　Horn　she　would　have　been　dead　or　worse　than　dead　in　a　short　time　had　she　not　been　rescued　from　the　clutches　of　the　soulless　Bulan？　　Thus　did　the　old　man　justify　his　action；　and　clinch　the　determination　that　he　had　before　reached　to　compel　Virginia　to　wed　von　Horn　should　she；　from　some　incomprehensible　motive；　demur。　Yet　he　hoped　that　the　girl　would　make　it　easy；　by　accepting　voluntarily　the　man　who　had　saved　her　life。

Left　alone；　or　as　he　thought　alone；　with　the　girl　in　the　growing　shadows　of　the　evening；　von　Horn　thought　the　moment　propitious　for　renewing　his　suit。　　He　did　not　consider　the　natives　squatting　about　them　as　of　sufficient　consequence　to　consider；　since　they　would　not　understand　the　language　in　which　he　addressed　Virginia；　and　in　the　dusk　he　failed　to　note　that　Sing　squatted　with　the　Dyaks；　close　behind　them。

〃Virginia；〃　he　commenced；　after　an　interval　of　silence；　〃often　before　have　I　broached　the　subject　nearest　to　my　heart；　yet　never　have　you　given　me　much　encouragement。　Can　you　not　feel　for　the　man　who　would　gladly　give　his　life　for　you；　sufficient　affection　to　permit　you　to　make　him　the　happiest　man　in　the　world？　I　do　not　ask　for　all　your　love　at　firstthat　will　come　later。　Just　give　me　t