the monster men-第17节

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s　with　his　back　against　it；　and　there；　in　the　midst　of　the　fury　of　the　storm　he　conquered　the　tempest　that　raged　in　his　own　breast。　The　murder　that　rose　again　and　again　in　his　untaught　heart　he　forced　back　by　thoughts　of　the　sweet；　pure　face　of　the　girl　whose　image　he　had　set　up　in　the　inner　temple　of　his　being；　as　a　gentle；　guiding　divinity。

〃He　made　me　without　a　soul；〃　he　repeated　over　and　over　again　to　himself；　〃but　I　have　found　a　soulshe　shall　be　my　soul。　　Von　Horn　could　not　explain　to　me　what　a　soul　is。　　He　does　not　know。　　None　of　them　knows。　　I　am　wiser　than　all　the　rest；　for　I　have　learned　what　a　soul　is。　Eyes　cannot　see　itfingers　cannot　feel　it；　but　he　who　possess　it　knows　that　it　is　there　for　it　fills　his　whole　breast　with　a　great；　wonderful　love　and　worship　for　something　infinitely　finer　than　man's　dull　senses　can　gauge　something　that　guides　him　into　paths　far　above　the　plain　of　soulless　beasts　and　bestial　men。

〃Let　those　who　will　say　that　I　have　no　soul；　for　I　am　satisfied　with　the　soul　I　have　found。　　It　would　never　permit　me　to　inflict　on　others　the　terrible　wrong　that　Professor　Maxon　has　inflicted　on　meyet　he　never　doubts　his　own　possession　of　a　soul。　　It　would　not　allow　me　to　revel　in　the　coarse　brutalities　of　von　Hornand　I　am　sure　that　von　Horn　thinks　he　has　a　soul。　And　if　the　savage　men　who　came　tonight　to　kill　have　souls；　then　I　am　glad　that　my　soul　is　after　my　own　choosingI　would　not　care　for　one　like　theirs。〃

The　sudden　equatorial　dawn　found　the　man　still　musing。　The　storm　had　ceased　and　as　the　daylight　brought　the　surroundings　to　view　Number　Thirteen　became　aware　that　he　was　not　alone　in　the　campong。　　All　about　him　lay　the　eleven　terrible　men　whom　he　had　driven　from　the　bungalow　the　previous　night。　　The　sight　of　them　brought　a　realization　of　new　responsibilities。　　To　leave　them　here　in　the　campong　would　mean　the　immediate　death　of　Professor　Maxon　and　the　Chinaman。　　To　turn　them　into　the　jungle　might　mean　a　similar　fate　for　Virginia　Maxon　were　she　wandering　about　in　search　of　the　encampment　Number　Thirteen　could　not　believe　that　she　was　dead。　It　seemed　too　monstrous　to　believe　that　he　should　never　see　her　again；　and　he　knew　so　little　of　death　that　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　realize　that　that　beautiful　creature　ever　could　cease　to　be　filled　with　the　vivacity　of　life。

The　young　man　had　determined　to　leave　the　camp　himself　partly　on　account　of　the　cruel　words　Professor　Maxon　had　hurled　at　him　the　night　before；　but　principally　in　order　that　he　might　search　for　the　lost　girl。　Of　course　he　had　not　the　remotest　idea　where　to　look　for　her；　but　as　von　Horn　had　explained　that　they　were　upon　a　small　island　he　felt　reasonably　sure　that　he　should　find　her　in　time。

As　he　looked　at　the　sleeping　monsters　near　him　he　determined　that　the　only　solution　of　his　problem　was　to　take　them　all　with　him。　　Number　Twelve　lay　closest　to　him；　and　stepping　to　his　side　he　nudged　him　with　the　butt　of　the　bull　whip　he　still　carried。　The　creature　opened　his　dull　eyes。

〃Get　up；〃　said　Number　Thirteen。

Number　Twelve　rose；　looking　askance　at　the　bull　whip。

〃We　are　not　wanted　here；〃　said　Number　Thirteen。　〃I　am　going　away　and　you　are　all　going　with　me。　　We　shall　find　a　place　where　we　may　live　in　peace　and　freedom。　Are　you　not　tired　of　always　being　penned　up？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Number　Twelve；　still　looking　at　the　whip。

〃You　need　not　fear　the　whip；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃I　shall　not　use　it　on　those　who　make　no　trouble。　Wake　the　others　and　tell　them　what　I　have　said。　All　must　come　with　methose　who　refuse　shall　feel　the　whip。〃

Number　Twelve　did　as　he　was　bid。　　The　creatures　mumbled　among　themselves　for　a　few　minutes。　　Finally　Number　Thirteen　cracked　his　long　whip　to　attract　their　attention。

〃Come！〃　he　said。

Nine　of　them　shuffled　after　him　as　he　turned　toward　the　outer　gateonly　Number　Ten　and　Number　Three　held　back。　The　young　man　walked　quickly　to　where　they　stood　eyeing　him　sullenly。　　The　others　halted　to　watchready　to　spring　upon　their　new　master　should　the　tide　of　the　impending　battle　turn　against　him。　　The　two　mutineers　backed　away　snarling；　their　hideous　features　distorted　in　rage。

〃Come！〃　repeated　Number　Thirteen。

〃We　will　stay　here；〃　growled　Number　Ten。　　〃We　have　not　yet　finished　with　Maxon。〃

A　loop　in　the　butt　of　the　bull　whip　was　about　the　young　man's　wrist。　　Dropping　the　weapon　from　his　hand　it　still　dangled　by　the　loop。　　At　the　same　instant　he　launched　himself　at　the　throat　of　Number　Ten；　for　he　realized　that　a　decisive　victory　now　without　the　aid　of　the　weapon　they　all　feared　would　make　the　balance　of　his　work　easier。

The　brute　met　the　charge　with　lowered　head　and　outstretched　hands；　and　in　another　second　they　were　locked　in　a　clinch；　tearing　at　one　another　like　two　great　gorillas。　　For　a　moment　Number　Three　stood　watching　the　battle；　and　then　he　too　sprang　in　to　aid　his　fellow　mutineer。　　Number　Thirteen　was　striking　heavy　blows　with　his　giant　hands　upon　the　face　and　head　of　his　antagonist；　while　the　long；　uneven　fangs　of　the　latter　had　found　his　breast　and　neck　a　half　dozen　times。　Blood　covered　them　both。　　Number　Three　threw　his　enormous　weight　into　the　conflict　with　the　frenzy　of　a　mad　bull。

Again　and　again　he　got　a　hold　upon　the　young　giant's　throat　only　to　be　shaken　loose　by　the　mighty　muscles。　The　excitement　of　the　conflict　was　telling　upon　the　malformed　minds　of　the　spectators。　　Presently　one　who　was　almost　brainless；　acting　upon　the　impulse　of　suggestion；　leaped　in　among　the　fighters；　striking　and　biting　at　Number　Thirteen。　It　was　all　that　was　neededanother　second　found　the　whole　monstrous　crew　upon　the　single　man。

His　mighty　strength　availed　him　but　little　in　the　unequal　conflicteleven　to　one　were　too　great　odds　even　for　those　powerful　thews。　　His　great　advantage　lay　in　his　superior　intelligence；　but　even　this　seemed　futile　in　the　face　of　the　enormous　weight　of　numbers　that　opposed　him。　　Time　and　again　he　had　almost　shaken　himself　free　only　to　fall　once　moredragged　down　by　hairy　arms　about　his　legs。

Hither　and　thither　about　the　campong　the　battle　raged　until　the　fighting　mass　rolled　against　the　palisade；　and　here；　at　last；　with　his　back　to　the　structure；　Number　Thirteen　regained　his　feet；　and　with　the　heavy　stock　of　the　bull　whip　beat　off；　for　a　moment；　those　nearest　him。　　All　were　winded；　but　when　those　who　were　left　of　the　eleven　original　antagonists　drew　back　to　regain　their　breath；　the　young　giant　gave　them　no　respite；　but　leaped　among　them　with　the　long　lash　they　had　such　good　reason　to　hate　and　fear。

The　result　was　as　his　higher　intelligence　had　foreseen　the　creatures　scattered　to　escape　the　fury　of　the　lash　and　a　moment　later　he　had　them　at　his　mercy。　　About　the　campong　lay　four　who　had　felt　the　full　force　of　his　heavy　fist；　while　not　one　but　bore　some　mark　of　the　battle。

Not　a　moment　did　he　give　them　to　recuperate　after　he　had　scattered　them　before　he　rounded　them　up　once　more　near　the　outer　gatebut　now　they　were　docile　and　submissive。　In　pairs　he　ordered　them　to　lift　their　unconscious　comrades　to　their　shoulders　and　bear　them　into　the　jungle；　for　Number　Thirteen　was　setting　out　into　the　world　with　his　grim　tribe　in　search　of　his　lady　love。

Once　well　within　the　jungle　they　halted　to　eat　of　the　more　familiar　fruit　which　had　always　formed　the　greater　bulk　of　their　sustenance。　　Thus　refreshed；　they　set　out　once　more　after　the　leader　who　wandered　aimlessly　beneath　the　shade　of　the　tall　jungle　trees　amidst　the　gorgeous　tropic　blooms　and　gay；　songless　birds　and　of　the　twelve　only　the　leader　saw　the　beauties　that　surrounded　them　or　felt　the　strange；　mysterious　influence　of　the　untracked　world　they　trod。　　Chance　took　them　toward　the　west　until　presently　they　emerged　upon　the　harbor's　edge；　where　from　the　matted　jungle　they　overlooked　for　the　first　time　the　waters　of　the　little　bay　and　the　broader　expanse　of　strait　beyond；　until　their　eyes　rested　at　last　upon　the　blurred　lines　of　distant　Borneo。

From　other　vantage　points　at　the　jungle's　border　two　other　watchers　looked　out　upon　the　scene。　　One　was　the　lascar　whom　von　Horn　had　sent　down　to　the　Ithaca　the　night　before　but　who　had　reached　the　harbor　after　she　sailed。　　The　other　was　von　Horn　himself。　　And　both　were　looking　out　upon　the　dismantled　wreck　of　the　Ithaca　where　it　lay　in　the　sand　near　the　harbor's　southern　edge。

Neither　ventured　forth　from　his　place　of　concealment；　for　beyond　the　Ithaca　ten　prahus　were　pulling　gracefully　into　the　quiet　waters　of　the　basin。

Rajah　Muda　Saffir；　caught　by　the　hurricane　the　preceding　night　as　he　had　been　about　to　beat　across　to　Borneo；　had　scurried　for　shelter　within　one　of　the　many　tiny　coves　which　indent　the　island's　entire　coast。　It　happened　that　his　haven　of　refuge　was　but　a　short　distance　south　of　the　harbor　in　which　he　knew　the　Ithaca　to　be　moored；　and　in　the　morning　he　decided　to　pay　that　vessel　a　visit　in　the　hope　that　he　might　learn　something　of　advantage　about　the　girl　from　one　of　her　lascar　crew。

The　wily　Malay　had　long　refrained　from　pillaging　the　Ithaca　for　fear　such　an　act　might　militate　against　the　larger　villainy　he　purposed　perpetrating　against　her　white　owner；　but　when　he　rounded　the　point　and　came　in　sight　of　the　stranded　wreck　he　put　all　such　thoughts　from　him　and