the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第20节
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Maxon and you and all who have made us what we are。〃
〃Why do you wish to kill me？〃 asked the young man。 〃I am one of you。
I was made in the same way that you were made。〃
Number Twelve opened his mismated eyes in astonishment。
〃Then you have already killed Maxon？〃 he asked。
〃No。 He was wounded by a savage enemy。 I have been helping to
make him well again。 He has wronged me as much as he has you。 If I
do not wish to kill him； why should you？ He did not mean to wrong us。
He thought that he was doing right。 He is in trouble now and we should
stay and protect him。〃
〃He lies；〃 suddenly shouted another of the horde。 〃He is not one of us。
Kill him！ Kill him！ Kill Maxon； too； and then we shall be as other men；
for it is these men who keep us as we are。〃
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
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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
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into the storm。
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THE MONSTER MEN
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
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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。 Fasc
