the monster men-第18章

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The　fellow　started　forward　toward　Number　Thirteen　as　he　spoke；　and　moved　by　the　impulse　of　imitation　the　others　came　on　with　him。

〃I　have　spoken　fairly　to　you；〃　said　Number　Thirteen　in　a　low　voice。　　〃If　you　cannot　understand　fairness　here　is　something　you　can　understand。〃

Raising　the　bull　whip　above　his　head　the　young　giant　leaped　among　the　advancing　brutes　and　lay　about　him　with　mighty　strokes　that　put　to　shame　the　comparatively　feeble　blows　with　which　von　Horn　had　been　wont　to　deal　out　punishment　to　the　poor；　damned　creatures　of　the　court　of　mystery。

For　a　moment　they　stood　valiantly　before　his　attack；　but　after　two　had　grappled　with　him　and　been　hurled　headlong　to　the　floor　they　gave　up　and　rushed　incontinently　out　into　the　maelstrom　of　the　screaming　tempest。

In　the　doorway　behind　him　Sing　Lee　had　been　standing　waiting　the　outcome　of　the　encounter　and　ready　to　lend　a　hand　were　it　required。　　As　the　two　men　turned　back　into　the　professor's　room　they　saw　that　the　wounded　man's　eyes　were　open　and　upon　them。　　At　sight　of　Number　Thirteen　a　questioning　look　came　into　his　eyes。

〃What　has　happened？〃　he　asked　feebly　of　Sing。　　〃Where　is　my　daughter？　　Where　is　Dr。　von　Horn？　　What　is　this　creature　doing　out　of　his　pen？〃

The　blow　of　the　parang　upon　the　professor's　skull　had　shocked　his　overwrought　mind　back　into　the　path　of　sanity。　　It　had　left　him　with　a　clear　remembrance　of　the　past；　other　than　the　recent　fight　in　the　living　roomthat　was　a　blankand　it　had　given　him　a　clearer　perspective　of　the　plans　he　had　been　entertaining　for　so　long　relative　to　this　soulless　creature。

The　first　thought　that　sprang　to　his　mind　as　he　saw　Number　Thirteen　before　him　was　of　his　mad　intention　to　give　his　daughter　to　such　a　monstrous　thing。　　With　the　recollection　came　a　sudden　loathing　and　hatred　of　this　and　the　other　creatures　of　his　unholy　experimentations。

Presently　he　realized　that　his　questions　had　not　been　answered。

〃Sing！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Answer　me。　　Where　are　Virginia　and　Dr。　von　Horn？〃

〃All　gonee。　　Me　no　know。　　All　gonee。　　Maybeso　allee　dead。〃

〃My　God！〃　groaned　the　stricken　man；　and　then　his　eyes　again　falling　upon　the　silent　giant　in　the　doorway；　〃Out　of　my　sight；〃　he　shrieked。　　〃Out　of　my　sight！　Never　let　me　see　you　againand　to　think　that　I　would　have　given　my　only　daughter　to　a　soulless　thing　like　you。　　Away！　　Before　I　go　mad　and　slay　you。〃

Slowly　the　color　mounted　to　the　neck　and　face　of　the　giant　then　suddenly　it　receded；　leaving　him　as　ashen　as　death。　His　great　hand　gripped　the　stock　of　the　bull　whip。　A　single　blow　was　all　that　would　have　been　needed　to　silence　Professor　Maxon　forever。　　There　was　murder　in　the　wounded　heart。　　The　man　took　a　step　forward　into　the　room；　and　then　something　drew　his　eyes　to　a　spot　upon　the　wall　just　above　Professor　Maxon's　shoulder　it　was　a　photograph　of　Virginia　Maxon。

Without　a　word　Number　Thirteen　turned　upon　his　heel　and　passed　out　into　the　storm。



8

THE　SOUL　OF　NUMBER　13


Scarcely　had　the　Ithaca　cleared　the　reef　which　lies　almost　across　the　mouth　of　the　little　harbor　where　she　had　been　moored　for　so　many　months　than　the　tempest　broke　upon　her　in　all　its　terrific　fury。　　Bududreen　was　no　mean　sailor；　but　he　was　short　handed；　nor　is　it　reasonable　to　suppose　that　even　with　a　full　crew　he　could　have　weathered　the　terrific　gale　which　beat　down　upon　the　hapless　vessel。　　Buffeted　by　great　waves；　and　stripped　of　every　shred　of　canvas　by　the　force　of　the　mighty　wind　that　howled　about　her；　the　Ithaca　drifted　a　hopeless　wreck　soon　after　the　storm　struck　her。

Below　deck　the　terrified　girl　clung　desperately　to　a　stanchion　as　the　stricken　ship　lunged　sickeningly　before　the　hurricane。　　For　half　an　hour　the　awful　suspense　endured；　and　then　with　a　terrific　crash　the　vessel　struck；　shivering　and　trembling　from　stem　to　stern。

Virginia　Maxon　sank　to　her　knees　in　prayer；　for　this　she　thought　must　surely　be　the　end。　　On　deck　Bududreen　and　his　crew　had　lashed　themselves　to　the　masts；　and　as　the　Ithaca　struck　the　reef　before　the　harbor；　back　upon　which　she　had　been　driven；　the　tall　poles　with　their　living　freight　snapped　at　the　deck　and　went　overboard　carrying　every　thing　with　them　amid　shrieks　and　cries　of　terror　that　were　drowned　and　choked　by　the　wild　tumult　of　the　night。

Twice　the　girl　felt　the　ship　strike　upon　the　reef；　then　a　great　wave　caught　and　carried　her　high　into　the　air；　dropping　her　with　a　nauseating　lunge　which　seemed　to　the　imprisoned　girl　to　be　carrying　the　ship　to　the　very　bottom　of　the　ocean。　　With　closed　eyes　she　clung　in　silent　prayer　beside　her　berth　waiting　for　the　moment　that　would　bring　the　engulfing　waters　and　oblivion　praying　that　the　end　might　come　speedily　and　release　her　from　the　torture　of　nervous　apprehension　that　had　terrorized　her　for　what　seemed　an　eternity。

After　the　last；　long　dive　the　Ithaca　righted　herself　laboriously；　wallowing　drunkenly；　but　apparently　upon　an　even　keel　in　less　turbulent　waters。　　One　long　minute　dragged　after　another；　yet　no　suffocating　deluge　poured　in　upon　the　girl；　and　presently　she　realized　that　the　ship　had；　at　least　temporarily；　weathered　the　awful　buffeting　of　the　savage　elements。　　Now　she　felt　but　a　gentle　roll；　though　the　wild　turmoil　of　the　storm　still　came　to　her　ears　through　the　heavy　planking　of　the　Ithaca's　hull。

For　a　long　hour　she　lay　wondering　what　fate　had　overtaken　the　vessel　and　whither　she　had　been　driven；　and　then；　with　a　gentle　grinding　sound；　the　ship　stopped；　swung　around；　and　finally　came　to　rest　with　a　slight　list　to　starboard。　　The　wind　howled　about　her；　the　torrential　rain　beat　loudly　upon　her；　but　except　for　a　slight　rocking　the　ship　lay　quiet。

Hours　passed　with　no　other　sounds　than　those　of　the　rapidly　waning　tempest。　　The　girl　heard　no　signs　of　life　upon　the　ship。　　Her　curiosity　became　more　and　more　keenly　aroused。　　She　had　that　indefinable；　intuitive　feeling　that　she　was　utterly　alone　upon　the　vessel；　and　at　length；　unable　to　endure　the　inaction　and　uncertainty　longer；　made　her　way　to　the　companion　ladder　where　for　half　an　hour　she　futilely　attempted　to　remove　the　hatch。

As　she　worked　she　failed　to　hear　the　scraping　of　naked　bodies　clambering　over　the　ship's　side；　or　the　padding　of　unshod　feet　upon　the　deck　above　her。　　She　was　about　to　give　up　her　work　at　the　hatch　when　the　heavy　wooden　cover　suddenly　commenced　to　move　above　her　as　though　actuated　by　some　supernatural　power。　　Fascinated；　the　girl　stood　gazing　in　wide…eyed　astonishment　as　one　end　of　the　hatch　rose　higher　and　higher　until　a　little　patch　of　blue　sky　revealed　the　fact　that　morning　had　come。　　Then　the　cover　slid　suddenly　back　and　Virginia　Maxon　found　herself　looking　into　a　savage　and　terrible　face。

The　dark　skin　was　creased　in　fierce　wrinkles　about　the　eyes　and　mouth。　　Gleaming　tiger　cat's　teeth　curved　upward　from　holes　pierced　to　receive　them　in　the　upper　half　of　each　ear。　　The　slit　ear　lobes　supported　heavy　rings　whose　weight　had　stretched　the　skin　until　the　long　loop　rested　upon　the　brown　shoulders。　　The　filed　and　blackened　teeth　behind　the　loose　lips　added　the　last　touch　of　hideousness　to　this　terrible　countenance。

Nor　was　this　all。　　A　score　of　equally　ferocious　faces　peered　down　from　behind　the　foremost。　　With　a　little　scream　Virginia　Maxon　sprang　back　to　the　lower　deck　and　ran　toward　her　stateroom。　　Behind　her　she　heard　the　commotion　of　many　men　descending　the　companionway。


As　Number　Thirteen　came　into　the　campong　after　quitting　the　bungalow　his　heart　was　a　chaos　of　conflicting　emotions。　　His　little　world　had　been　wiped　out。　His　creatorthe　man　whom　he　thought　his　only　friend　and　benefactorhad　suddenly　turned　against　him。　The　beautiful　creature　he　worshipped　was　either　lost　or　dead；　Sing　had　said　so。　　He　was　nothing　but　a　miserable　THING。　　There　was　no　place　in　the　world　for　him；　and　even　should　he　again　find　Virginia　Maxon；　he　had　von　Horn's　word　for　it　that　she　would　shrink　from　him　and　loathe　him　even　more　than　another。

With　no　plans　and　no　hopes　he　walked　aimlessly　through　the　blinding　rain；　oblivious　of　it　and　of　the　vivid　lightning　and　deafening　thunder。　　The　palisade　at　length　brought　him　to　a　sudden　stop。　　Mechanically　he　squatted　on　his　haunches　with　his　back　against　it；　and　there；　in　the