the monster men-第33章

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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　witness　of　all　that　transpired。　　At　first　he　had　been　inclined　to　come　out　of　his　hiding　place　and　follow　von　Horn；　but　so　much　had　already　occurred　beneath　the　branches　of　the　great　tree　where　the　chest　lay　hidden　that　he　decided　to　wait　until　morning　at　least；　for　he　was　sure　that　he　had　by　no　means　seen　the　last　of　the　drama　which　surrounded　the　heavy　box。　　This　belief　was　strengthened　by　the　haste　displayed　by　both　Ninaka　and　von　Horn　to　escape　the　neighborhood　as　quickly　as　possible；　as　though　they　feared　that　they　might　be　apprehended　should　they　delay　even　for　a　moment。

Number　Three　and　Number　Twelve　still　slept；　not　having　been　aroused　even　by　the　shots　fired　by　von　Horn。　Bulan　himself　had　dozed　after　the　departure　of　the　doctor；　but　the　advent　of　Barunda's　uncle　with　his　followers　had　awakened　him；　and　now　he　lay　wide　eyed　and　alert　as　the　second　party；　under　Muda　Saffir；　came　into　view　when　they　left　the　jungle　trail　and　entered　the　clearing。

His　interest　in　either　party　was　but　passive　until　he　saw　the　khaki　blouse；　short　skirt　and　trim　leggins　of　the　captive　walking　between　two　of　the　Dyaks　of　Muda　Saffir's　company。　　At　the　same　instant　he　recognized　the　evil　features　of　the　rajah　as　those　of　the　man　who　had　directed　the　abduction　of　Virginia　Maxon　from　the　wrecked　Ithaca。

Like　a　great　cat　Bulan　drew　himself　cautiously　to　all　fours　every　nerve　and　muscle　taut　with　the　excitement　of　the　moment。　Before　him　he　saw　a　hundred　and　fifty　ferocious　Borneo　head　hunters；　armed　with　parangs；　spears　and　sumpitans。　　At　his　back　slept　two　almost　brainless　creatureshis　sole　support　against　the　awful　odds　he　must　face　before　he　could　hope　to　succor　the　divinity　whose　image　was　enshrined　in　his　brave　and　simple　heart。

The　muscles　stood　out　upon　his　giant　forearm　as　he　gripped　the　stock　of　his　bull　whip。　　He　believed　that　he　was　going　to　his　death；　for　mighty　as　were　his　thews　he　knew　that　in　the　face　of　the　horde　they　would　avail　him　little；　yet　he　saw　no　other　way　than　to　sit　supinely　by　while　the　girl　went　to　her　doom；　and　that　he　could　not　do。　He　nudged　Number　Twelve。　　〃Silence！〃　he　whispered；　and　〃Come！　The　girl　is　here。　　We　must　save　her。　　Kill　the　men；〃　and　the　same　to　the　hairy　and　terrible　Number　Three。

Both　the　creatures　awoke　and　rose　to　their　hands　and　knees　without　noise　that　could　be　heard　above　the　chattering　of　the　natives；　who　had　crowded　forward　to　view　the　dead　bodies　of　von　Horn's　victims。　Silently　Bulan　came　to　his　feet；　the　two　monsters　at　his　back　rising　and　pressing　close　behind　him。　Along　the　denser　shadows　the　three　crept　to　a　position　in　the　rear　of　the　natives。　　The　girl's　guards　had　stepped　forward　with　the　others　to　join　in　the　discussion　that　followed　the　dying　statement　of　the　murdered　warrior；　leaving　her　upon　the　outer　fringe　of　the　crowd。

For　an　instant　a　sudden　hope　of　escape　sprang　to　Virginia　Maxon's　mindthere　was　none　between　her　and　the　jungle　through　which　they　had　just　passed。　Though　unknown