the monster men-第29节

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orce　later。　　That　he　was　taking　his　life　in　his　hands　he　well　knew；　but　so　great　was　the　man's　cupidity　that　he　reckoned　no　risk　too　great　for　the　acquirement　of　a　fortune。

The　two　Dyaks；　paddling　in　silence　up　the　dark　river；　proceeded　for　nearly　three　hours　before　they　drew　in　to　the　bank　and　dragged　the　sampan　up　into　the　bushes。　Then　they　set　out　upon　a　narrow　trail　into　the　jungle。　It　so　happened　that　after　travelling　for　several　miles　they　inadvertently　took　another　path　than　that　followed　by　the　party　under　Barunda's　uncle；　so　that　they　passed　the　latter　without　being　aware　of　it；　going　nearly　half　a　mile　to　the　right　of　where　the　trailers　camped　a　short　distance　from　the　bivouac　of　Ninaka。

In　the　dead　of　night　Ninaka　and　his　party　had　crawled　away　under　the　very　noses　of　the　avengers；　taking　the　chest　with　them；　and　by　chance　von　Horn　and　the　two　Dyaks　cut　back　into　the　main　trail　along　the　river　almost　at　the　very　point　that　Ninaka　halted　to　bury　the　treasure。

And　so　it　was　that　Bulan　was　not　the　only　one　who　watched　the　hiding　of　the　chest。

When　Ninaka　had　disappeared　down　the　river　trail　Bulan　lay　speculating　upon　the　strange　actions　he　had　witnessed。　He　wondered　why　the　men　should　dig　a　hole　in　the　midst　of　the　jungle　to　hide　away　the　box　which　he　had　so　often　seen　in　Professor　Maxon's　workshop。　It　occurred　to　him　that　it　might　be　well　to　remember　just　where　the　thing　was　buried；　so　that　he　could　lead　the　professor　to　it　should　he　ever　see　the　old　man　again。　　As　he　lay　thus；　half　dozing；　his　attention　was　attracted　by　a　stealthy　rustling　in　the　bushes　nearby；　and　as　he　watched　he　was　dumbfounded　to　see　von　Horn　creep　out　into　the　moonlight。　　A　moment　later　the　man　was　followed　by　two　Dyaks。　　The　three　stood　conversing　in　low　tones；　pointing　repeatedly　at　the　spot　where　the　chest　lay　hidden。　　Bulan　could　understand　but　little　of　their　conversation；　but　it　was　evident　that　von　Horn　was　urging　some　proposition　to　which　the　warriors　demurred。

Suddenly；　without　an　instant's　warning；　von　Horn　drew　his　gun；　wheeled；　and　fired　point…blank；　first　at　one　of　his　companions；　then　at　the　other。　　Both　men　fell　in　their　tracks；　and　scarcely　had　the　pungent　odor　of　the　powder　smoke　reached　Bulan's　nostrils　ere　the　white　man　had　plunged　into　the　jungle　and　disappeared。

Failing　in　his　attempt　to　undermine　the　loyalty　of　the　two　Dyaks　von　Horn　had　chosen　the　only　other　way　to　keep　the　knowledge　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　chest　from　Barunda's　uncle　and　Muda　Saffir；　and　now　his　principal　interest　in　life　was　to　escape　the　vengeance　of　the　head　hunters　and　return　to　the　long…house　before　his　absence　should　be　detected。

There　he　could　form　a　party　of　natives　and　set　out　to　regain　the　chest　after　Muda　Saffir　and　Barunda's　uncle　had　given　up　the　quest。　　That　suspicion　should　fall　on　him　seemed　scarcely　credible　since　the　only　men　who　knew　that　he　had　left　the　long…house　that　night　lay　dead　upon　the　very　spot　where　the　treasure　reposed。



14

MAN　OR　MONSTER？


When　Muda　Saffir　turned　from　the　two　Dyaks　who　had　brought　him　news　of　the　treasure　he　hastened　to　the　long…house　and　arousing　the　chief　of　the　tribe　who　domiciled　there　explained　that　necessity　required　that　the　rajah　have　at　once　two　war　prahus　fully　manned。　Now　the　power　of　the　crafty　old　Malay　extended　from　one　end　of　this　great　river　on　which　the　long…house　lay　to　the　other；　and　though　not　all　the　tribes　admitted　allegiance　to　him；　yet　there　were　few　who　would　not　furnish　him　with　men　and　boats　when　he　required　them；　for　his　piratical　cruises　carried　him　often　up　and　down　the　stream；　and　with　his　savage　horde　it　was　possible　for　him　to　wreak　summary　and　terrible　vengeance　upon　those　who　opposed　him。

When　he　had　explained　his　wishes　to　the　chief；　the　latter；　though　at　heart　hating　and　fearing　Muda　Saffir；　dared　not　refuse；　but　to　a　second　proposition　he　offered　strong　opposition　until　the　rajah　threatened　to　wipe　out　his　entire　tribe　should　he　not　accede　to　his　demands。

The　thing　which　the　chief　demurred　to　had　occurred　to　Muda　Saffir　even　as　he　walked　back　from　the　river　after　conversing　with　the　two　Dyak　messengers。　　The　thought　of　regaining　the　treasure；　the　while　he　administered　punishment　to　the　traitorous　Ninaka；　filled　his　soul　with　savage　happiness。　　Now　if　he　could　but　once　more　possess　himself　of　the　girl！　　And　why　not？　　There　was　only　the　sick　old　man；　a　Chinaman　and　von　Horn　to　prevent　it；　and　the　chances　were　that　they　all　were　asleep。

So　he　explained　to　the　chief　the　plan　that　had　so　suddenly　sprung　to　his　wicked　mind。

〃Three　men　with　parangs　may　easily　quiet　the　old　man；　his　assistant　and　the　Chinaman；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　we　can　take　the　girl　along　with　us。〃

The　chief　refused　at　first；　point…blank；　to　be　a　party　to　any　such　proceedings。　　He　knew　what　had　happened　to　the　Sakkaran　Dyaks　after　they　had　murdered　a　party　of　Englishmen；　and　he　did　not　purpose　laying　himself　and　his　tribe　open　to　the　vengeance　of　the　white　men　who　came　in　many　boats　and　with　countless　guns　and　cannon　to　take　a　terrible　toll　for　every　drop　of　white　blood　spilled。

So　it　was　that　Muda　Saffir　was　forced　to　compromise；　and　be　satisfied　with　the　chief's　assistance　in　abducting　the　girl；　for　it　was　not　so　difficult　a　matter　to　convince　the　head　hunter　that　she　really　had　belonged　to　the　rajah；　and　that　she　had　been　stolen　from　him　by　the　old　man　and　the　doctor。

Virginia　slept　in　a　room　with　three　Dyak　women。　It　was　to　this　apartment　that　the　chief　finally　consented　to　dispatch　two　of　his　warriors。　　The　men　crept　noiselessly　within　the　pitch　dark　interior　until　they　came　to　the　sleeping　form　of　one　of　the　Dyak　women。　Cautiously　they　awoke　her。

〃Where　is　the　white　girl？〃　asked　one　of　the　men　in　a　low　whisper。　　〃Muda　Saffir　has　sent　us　for　her。　Tell　her　that　her　father　is　very　sick　and　wants　her；　but　do　not　mention　Muda　Saffir's　name　lest　she　might　not　come。〃

The　whispering　awakened　Virginia　and　she　lay　wondering　what　the　cause　of　the　midnight　conference　might　be；　for　she　recognized　that　one　of　the　speakers　was　a　man；　and　there　had　been　no　man　in　the　apartment　when　she　had　gone　to　sleep　earlier　in　the　night。

Presently　she　heard　some　one　approach　her；　and　a　moment　later　a　woman's　voice　addressed　her；　but　she　could　not　understand　enough　of　the　native　tongue　to　make　out　precisely　the　message　the　speaker　wished　to　convey。　The　words　〃father；〃　〃sick；〃　and　〃come；〃　however　she　finally　understood　after　several　repetitions；　for　she　had　picked　up　a　smattering　of　the　Dyak　language　during　her　enforced　association　with　the　natives。

The　moment　that　the　possibilities　suggested　by　these　few　words　dawned　upon　her；　she　sprang　to　her　feet　and　followed　the　woman　toward　the　door　of　the　apartment。　Immediately　without　the　two　warriors　stood　upon　the　verandah　awaiting　their　victim；　and　as　Virginia　passed　through　the　doorway　she　was　seized　roughly　from　either　side；　a　heavy　hand　was　clapped　over　her　mouth；　and　before　she　could　make　even　an　effort　to　rebel　she　had　been　dragged　to　the　end　of　the　verandah；　down　the　notched　log　to　the　ground　and　a　moment　later　found　herself　in　a　war　prahu　which　was　immediately　pushed　into　the　stream。

Since　Virginia　had　come　to　the　long…house　after　her　rescue　from　the　ourang　outangs；　supposedly　by　von　Horn；　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　had　kept　very　much　out　of　sight；　for　he　knew　that　should　the　girl　see　him　she　would　recognize　him　as　the　man　who　had　stolen　her　from　the　Ithaca。　　So　it　came　as　a　mighty　shock　to　the　girl　when　she　heard　the　hated　tones　of　the　man　whom　she　had　knocked　overboard　from　the　prahu　two　nights　before；　and　realized　that　the　bestial　Malay　sat　close　beside　her；　and　that　she　was　again　in　his　power。　　She　looked　now　for　no　mercy；　nor　could　she　hope　to　again　escape　him　so　easily　as　she　had　before；　and　so　she　sat　with　bowed　head　in　the　bottom　of　the　swiftly　moving　craft；　buried　in　anguished　thoughts；　hopeless　and　miserable。

Along　the　stretch　of　black　river　that　the　prahu　and　her　consort　covered　that　night　Virginia　Maxon　saw　no　living　thing　other　than　a　single　figure　in　a　small　sampan　which　hugged　the　shadows　of　the　shore　as　the　two　larger　boats　met　and　passed　it；　nor　answered　their　hail。

Where　von　Horn　and　his　two　Dyak　guides　had　landed；　Muda　Saffir's　force　disembarked　and　plunged　into　the　jungle。　Rapidly　they　hastened　along　the　well　known　trail　toward　the　point　designated　by　the　two　messengers；　to　come　upon　the　spot　almost　simultaneously　with　the　party　under　Barunda's　uncle；　who；　startled　by　the　two　shots　several　hours　previously；　had　been　cautiously　searching　through　the　jungle　for　an　explanation　of　them。

They　had　gone　warily　for　fear　that　they　might　stumble　upon　Ninaka's　party　before　Muda　Saffir　arrived　with　reinforcements；　and　but　just　now　had　they　discovered　the　prostrate　forms　of　their　two　companions。　One　was　dead；　but　the　other　was　still　conscious　and　had　just　sufficient　vitality　left　after　the　coming　of　his　fellows　to　whisper　that　they　had　been　treacherously　shot　by　the　younger　white　man　who　had　been　at　the　long…house　where　they　had　found　Muda　Saffirthen　the　fellow　expired　without　having　an　opportunity　to　divulge　the　secret　hiding　place　of　the　treasure；　over　the　top　of　which　his　body　lay。

Now　Bulan　had　been　an　interested