the monster men-第7章

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he　workshop。

Sing　Lee　was　late　that　night。　　In　fact　he　did　not　return　from　his　fruitless　quest　for　gulls　until　well　after　dark；　nor　would　he　vouchsafe　any　explanation　of　the　consequent　lateness　of　supper。　　Nor　could　he　be　found　shortly　after　the　evening　meal　when　Virginia　sought　him。

Not　until　the　camp　was　wrapped　in　the　quiet　of　slumber　did　Sing　Lee　returnstealthy　and　mysteriousto　creep　under　cover　of　a　moonless　night　to　the　door　of　the　workshop。　　How　he　gained　entrance　only　Sing　Lee　knows；　but　a　moment　later　there　was　a　muffled　crash　of　broken　glass　within　the　laboratory；　and　the　Chinaman　had　slipped　out；　relocked　the　door；　and　scurried　to　his　nearby　shack。　　But　there　was　no　occasion　for　his　haste　no　other　ear　than　his　had　heard　the　sound　within　the　workshop。

It　was　almost　nine　the　following　morning　before　Professor　Maxon　and　von　Horn　entered　the　laboratory。　Scarcely　had　the　older　man　passed　the　doorway　than　he　drew　up　his　hands　in　horrified　consternation。　　Vat　Number　Thirteen　lay　dashed　to　the　floorthe　glass　cover　was　broken　to　a　million　piecesa　sticky；　brownish　substance　covered　the　matting。　Professor　Maxon　hid　his　face　in　his　hands。

〃God！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is　all　ruined。　　Three　more　days　would　have〃

〃Look！〃　cried　von　Horn。　　〃It　is　not　too　soon。〃

Professor　Maxon　mustered　courage　to　raise　his　eyes　from　his　hands；　and　there　he　beheld；　seated　in　a　far　corner　of　the　room　a　handsome　giant；　physically　perfect。　　The　creature　looked　about　him　in　a　dazed；　uncomprehending　manner。　　A　great　question　was　writ　large　upon　his　intelligent　countenance。　　Professor　Maxon　stepped　forward　and　took　him　by　the　hand。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　and　led　him　toward　a　smaller　room　off　the　main　workshop。　　The　giant　followed　docilely；　his　eyes　roving　about　the　roomthe　pitiful　questioning　still　upon　his　handsome　features。　　Von　Horn　turned　toward　the　campong。

Virginia；　deserted　by　all；　even　the　faithful　Sing；　who；　cheated　of　his　sport　on　the　preceding　day；　had　again　gone　to　the　beach　to　snare　gulls；　became　restless　of　the　enforced　idleness　and　solitude。　　For　a　time　she　wandered　about　the　little　compound　which　had　been　reserved　for　the　whites；　but　tiring　of　this　she　decided　to　extend　her　stroll　beyond　the　palisade；　a　thing　which　she　had　never　before　done　unless　accompanied　by　von　Horn　a　thing　both　he　and　her　father　had　cautioned　her　against。

〃What　danger　can　there　be？〃　she　thought。　　〃We　know　that　the　island　is　uninhabited　by　others　than　ourselves；　and　that　there　are　no　dangerous　beasts。　　And；　anyway；　there　is　no　one　now　who　seems　to　care　what　becomes　of　me；　unlessunlessI　wonder　if　he　does　care。　　I　wonder　if　I　care　whether　or　not　he　cares。　　Oh；　dear；　I　wish　I　knew；〃　and　as　she　soliloquized　she　wandered　past　the　little　clearing　and　into　the　jungle　that　lay　behind　the　campong。


As　von　Horn　and　Professor　Maxon　talked　together　in　the　laboratory　before　the　upsetting　of　vat　Number　Thirteen；　a　grotesque　and　horrible　creature　had　slunk　from　the　low　shed　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　campong　until　it　had　crouched　at　the　flimsy　door　of　the　building　in　which　the　two　men　conversed。　　For　a　while　it　listened　intently；　but　when　von　Horn　urged　the　necessity　for　dispatching　certain　〃terrible；　soulless　creatures〃　an　expression　of　intermingled　fear　and　hatred　convulsed　the　hideous　features；　and　like　a　great　grizzly　it　turned　and　lumbered　awkwardly　across　the　campong　toward　the　easterly；　or　back　wall　of　the　enclosure。

Here　it　leaped　futilely　a　half　dozen　times　for　the　top　of　the　palisade；　and　then　trembling　and　chattering　in　rage　it　ran　back　and　forth　along　the　base　of　the　obstacle；　just　as　a　wild　beast　in　captivity　paces　angrily　before　the　bars　of　its　cage。

Finally　it　paused　to　look　once　more　at　the　senseless　wood　that　barred　its　escape；　as　though　measuring　the　distance　to　the　top。　　Then　the　eyes　roamed　about　the　campong　to　rest　at　last　upon　the　slanting　roof　of　the　thatched　shed　which　was　its　shelter。　　Presently　a　slow　idea　was　born　in　the　poor；　malformed　brain。

The　creature　approached　the　shed。　　He　could　just　reach　the　saplings　that　formed　the　frame　work　of　the　roof。　Like　a　huge　sloth　he　drew　himself　to　the　roof　of　the　structure。　　From　here　he　could　see　beyond　the　palisade；　and　the　wild　freedom　of　the　jungle　called　to　him。　　He　did　not　know　what　it　was　but　in　its　leafy　wall　he　perceived　many　breaks　and　openings　that　offered　concealment　from　the　creatures　who　were　plotting　to　take　his　life。

Yet　the　wall　was　not　fully　six　feet　from　him；　and　the　top　of　it　at　least　five　feet　above　the　top　of　the　shed　those　who　had　designed　the　campong　had　been　careful　to　set　this　structure　sufficiently　far　from　the　palisade　to　prevent　its　forming　too　easy　an　avenue　of　escape。

The　creature　glanced　fearfully　toward　the　workshop。　He　remembered　the　cruel　bull　whip　that　always　followed　each　new　experiment　on　his　part　that　did　not　coincide　with　the　desires　of　his　master；　and　as　he　thought　of　von　Horn　a　nasty　gleam　shot　his　mismated　eyes。

He　tried　to　reach　across　the　distance　between　the　roof　and　the　palisade；　and　in　the　attempt　lost　his　balance　and　nearly　precipitated　himself　to　the　ground　below。　Cautiously　he　drew　back；　still　looking　about　for　some　means　to　cross　the　chasm。　　One　of　the　saplings　of　the　roof；　protruding　beyond　the　palm　leaf　thatch；　caught　his　attention。　　With　a　single　wrench　he　tore　it　from　its　fastenings。　　Extending　it　toward　the　palisade　he　discovered　that　it　just　spanned　the　gap；　but　he　dared　not　attempt　to　cross　upon　its　single　slender　strand。

Quickly　he　ripped　off　a　half　dozen　other　poles　from　the　roof；　and　laying　them　side　by　side；　formed　a　safe　and　easy　path　to　freedom。　　A　moment　more　and　he　sat　astride　the　top　of　the　wall。　　Drawing　the　poles　after　him；　he　dropped　them　one　by　one　to　the　ground　outside　the　campong。　　Then　he　lowered　himself　to　liberty。

Gathering　the　saplings　under　one　huge　arm　he　ran；　lumberingly；　into　the　jungle。　　He　would　not　leave　evidence　of　the　havoc　he　had　wrought；　the　fear　of　the　bull　whip　was　still　strong　upon　him。　　The　green　foliage　closed　about　him　and　the　peaceful　jungle　gave　no　sign　of　the　horrid　brute　that　roamed　its　shadowed　mazes。


As　von　Horn　stepped　into　the　campong　his　quick　eye　perceived　the　havoc　that　had　been　wrought　with　the　roof　at　the　east　end　of　the　shed。　　Quickly　he　crossed　to　the　low　structure。　　Within　its　compartments　a　number　of　deformed　monsters　squatted　upon　their　haunches；　or　lay　prone　upon　the　native　mats　that　covered　the　floor。

As　the　man　entered　they　looked　furtively　at　the　bull　whip　which　trailed　from　his　right　hand；　and　then　glanced　fearfully　at　one　another　as　though　questioning　which　was　the　malefactor　on　this　occasion。

Von　Horn　ran　his　eyes　over　the　hideous　assemblage。

〃Where　is　Number　One？〃　he　asked；　directing　his　question　toward　a　thing　whose　forehead　gave　greater　promise　of　intelligence　than　any　of　his　companions。

The　one　addressed　shook　his　head。

Von　Horn　turned　and　made　a　circuit　of　the　campong。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　missing　one　and　no　indication　of　any　other　irregularity　than　the　demolished　portion　of　the　roof。　　With　an　expression　of　mild　concern　upon　his　face　he　entered　the　workshop。

〃Number　One　has　escaped　into　the　jungle；　Professor；〃　he　said。

Professor　Maxon　looked　up　in　surprise；　but　before　he　had　an　opportunity　to　reply　a　woman's　scream；　shrill　with　horror；　smote　upon　their　startled　ears。

Von　Horn　was　the　first　to　reach　the　campong　of　the　whites。　　Professor　Maxon　was　close　behind　him；　and　the　faces　of　both　were　white　with　apprehension。　The　enclosure　was　deserted。　　Not　even　Sing　was　there。　Without　a　word　the　two　men　sprang　through　the　gateway　and　raced　for　the　jungle　in　the　direction　from　which　that　single；　haunting　cry　had　come。

Virginia　Maxon；　idling　beneath　the　leafy　shade　of　the　tropical　foliage；　became　presently　aware　that　she　had　wandered　farther　from　the　campong　than　she　had　intended。　The　day　was　sultry；　and　the　heat；　even　in　the　dense　shade　of　the　jungle；　oppressive。　　Slowly　she　retraced　her　steps；　her　eyes　upon　the　ground；　her　mind　absorbed　in　sad　consideration　of　her　father's　increasing　moodiness　and　eccentricity。

Possibly　it　was　this　very　abstraction　which　deadened　her　senses　to　the　near　approach　of　another。　　At　any　rate　the　girl's　fir