the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第41章
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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。
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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
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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
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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 Saffirt
