the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第38节
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not looking。〃
She thought the voice familiar； but could not place it； though her heart
whispered that it might belong to the young stranger of her dreams。 He
reached out and took her hand and together they turned and walked
quickly toward the jungle； followed by the two who had accompanied
him。
Scarcely had they covered half the distance before one of the Dyaks
whose duty it had been to guard the girl discovered that she was gone。
With a cry he alarmed his fellows； and in another instant a sharp pair of
eyes caught the movement of the four who had now broken into a run。
With savage shouts the entire force of head hunters sprang in pursuit。
Bulan lifted Virginia in his arms and dashed on ahead of Number Twelve
and Number Three。 A shower of poisoned darts blown from half a hundred
sumpitans fell about them； and then Muda Saffir called to his warriors to
cease using their deadly blow…pipes lest they kill the girl。
Into the jungle dashed the four while close behind them came the
howling pack of enraged savages。 Now one closed upon Number Three
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only to fall back dead with a broken neck as the giant fingers released their
hold upon him。 A parang swung close to Number Twelve； but his own；
which he had now learned to wield with fearful effect； clove through the
pursuing warrior's skull splitting him wide to the breast bone。
Thus they fought the while they forced their way deeper and deeper
into the dark mazes of the entangled vegetation。 The brunt of the running
battle was borne by the two monsters； for Bulan was carrying Virginia；
and keeping a little ahead of his companions to insure the girl's greater
safety。
Now and then patches of moonlight filtering through occasional
openings in the leafy roofing revealed to Virginia the battle that was being
waged for possession of her； and once； when Number Three turned toward
her after disposing of a new assailant； she was horrified to see the
grotesque and terrible face of the creature。 A moment later she caught
sight of Number Twelve's hideous face。 She was appalled。
Could it be that she had been rescued from the Malay to fall into the
hands of creatures equally heartless and entirely without souls？ She
glanced up at the face of him who carried her。 In the darkness of the
night she had not yet had an opportunity to see the features of the man； but
after a glimpse at those of his two companions she trembled to think of the
hideous thing that might be revealed to her。
Could it be that she had at last fallen into the hands of the dreaded and
terrible Number Thirteen！ Instinctively she shrank from contact with the
man in whose arms she had been carried without a trace of repugnance
until the thought obtruded itself that he might be the creature of her
father's mad experimentation； to whose arms she had been doomed by the
insane obsession of her parent。
The man shifted her now to give himself freer use of his right arm； for
the savages were pressing more closely upon Twelve and Three； and the
change made it impossible for the girl to see his face even in the more
frequent moonlit places。
But she could see the two who ran and fought just behind them； and
she shuddered at her inevitable fate。 For should the three be successful in
bearing her away from the Dyaks she must face an unknown doom； while
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should the natives recapture her there was the terrible Malay into whose
clutches she had already twice fallen。
Now the head hunters were pressing closer； and suddenly； even as the
girl looked directly at him； a spear passed through the heart of Number
Three。 Clutching madly at the shaft protruding from his misshapen body
the grotesque thing stumbled on for a dozen paces； and then sank to the
ground as two of the brown warriors sprang upon him with naked parangs。
An instant later Virginia Maxon saw the hideous and grisly head swinging
high in the hand of a dancing； whooping savage。
The man who carried her was now forced to turn and fight off the
enemy that pressed forward past Number Twelve。 The mighty bull whip
whirled and cracked across the heads and faces of the Dyaks。 It was a
formidable weapon when backed by the Herculean muscles that rolled and
shifted beneath Bulan's sun…tanned skin； and many were the brown
warriors that went down beneath its cruel lash。
Virginia could see that the creature who bore her was not deformed of
body； but she shrank from the thought of what a sight of his face might
reveal。 How much longer the two could fight off the horde at their heels
the girl could not guess； and as a matter of fact she was indifferent to the
outcome of the strange； running battle that was being waged with herself
as the victor's spoil。
The country now was becoming rougher and more open。 The flight
seemed to be leading into a range of low hills； where the jungle grew less
dense； and the way rocky and rugged。 They had entered a narrow canyon
when Number Twelve went down beneath a half dozen parangs。 Again
the girl saw a bloody head swung on high and heard the fierce； wild
chorus of exulting victory。 She wondered how long it would be ere the
creature beneath her would add his share to the grim trophies of the hunt。
In the interval that the head hunters had paused to sever Number
Twelve's head； Bulan had gained fifty yards upon them； and then； of a
sudden； he came to a sheer wall rising straight across the narrow trail he
had been following。 Ahead there was no waya cat could scarce have
scaled that formidable barrierbut to the right he discerned what appeared
to be a steep and winding pathway up the canyon's side； and with a bound
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he clambered along it to where it surmounted the rocky wall。
There he turned； winded； to await the oncoming foe。 Here was a spot
where a single man might defy an army； and Bulan had been quick to see
the natural advantages of it。 He placed the girl upon her feet behind a
protruding shoulder of the canyon's wall which rose to a considerable
distance still above them。 Then he turned to face the mob that was
surging up the narrow pathway toward him。
At his feet lay an accumulation of broken rock from the hillside above；
and as a spear sped； singing； close above his shoulder； the occurrence
suggested a use for the rough and jagged missiles which lay about him in
such profusion。 Many of the pieces were large； weighing twenty and
thirty pounds； and some even as much as fifty。 Picking up one of the
larger Bulan raised it high above his head； and then hurled it down
amongst the upclimbing warriors。 In an instant pandemonium reigned；
for the heavy boulder had mowed down a score of the pursuers； breaking
arms and legs in its meteoric descent。
Missile after missile Bulan rained down upon the struggling； howling
Dyaks； until； seized by panic； they turned and fled incontinently down into
the depths of the canyon and back along the narrow trail they had come；
and then superstitious fear completed the rout that the flying rocks had
started； for one whispered to another that this was the terrible Bulan and
that he had but lured them on into the hills that he might call forth all his
demons and destroy them。
For a moment Bulan stood watching the retreating savages； a smile
upon his lips； and then as the sudden equatorial dawn burst forth he turned
to face the girl。
As Virginia Maxon saw the fine features of the giant where she had
expected to find the grotesque and hideous lineaments of a monster； she
gave a quick little cry of pleasure and relief。
〃Thank God！
