THE BULL WHIP
As von Horn and Virginia Maxon walked slowly beneath the dense shadows of the jungle he again renewed his suit.
It would please him more to have the girl accompany him voluntarily than to be compelled to take her by force, but take her he would one way or another, and that, this very night, for all the plans were made and already under way.
"I cannot do it, Doctor von Horn," she had said.
"No matter how much danger I may be in here I cannot desert my father on this lonely isle with only savage lascars and the terrible monsters of his own creation surrounding him.Why, it would be little short of murder for us to do such a thing.I cannot see how you, his most trusted lieutenant, can even give an instant's consideration to the idea.
"And now that you insist that his mind is sorely affected, it is only an added reason why I must remain with him to protect him so far as I am able, from himself and his enemies."Von Horn did not relish the insinuation in the accent which the girl put upon the last word.
"It is because I love you so, Virginia," he hastened to urge in extenuation of his suggested disloyalty.
"I cannot see you sacrificed to his horrible mania.
You do not realize the imminence of your peril.
Tomorrow Number Thirteen was to have come to live beneath the same roof with you.You recall Number One whom the stranger killed as the thing was bearing you away through the jungle? Can you imagine sleeping in the same house with such a soulless thing? Eating your three meals a day at the same table with it? And knowing all the time that in a few short weeks at the most you were destined to be given to the thing as its mate? Virginia, you must be mad to consider for a moment remaining within reach of such a terrible peril.
"Come to Singapore with me--it will take but a few days--and then we can return with some good medical man and a couple of Europeans, and take your father away from the terrible creatures he has created.You will be mine then and safe from the awful fate that now lies back there in the camp awaiting you.We can take your father upon a long trip where rest and quiet can have an opportunity to restore his enfeebled mentality.
Come, Virginia! Come with me now.We can go directly to the Ithaca and safety.Say that you will come."The girl shook her head.
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should certainly be moved by your appeal.If you wish to bring help for my father I shall never cease to thank you if you will go to Singapore and fetch it, but it is not necessary that I go.My place is here, near him."In the darkness the girl did not see the change that came over the man's face, but his next words revealed his altered attitude with sufficient exactitude to thoroughly arouse her fears.
"Virginia," he said, "I love you, and I intend to have you.
Nothing on earth can prevent me.When you know me better you will return my love, but now I must risk offending you that I may save you for myself from the monstrous connection which your father contemplates for you.If you will not come away from the island with me voluntarily I consider it my duty to take you away by force.""You would never do that, Doctor von Horn!" she exclaimed.
Von Horn had gone too far.He cursed himself inwardly for a fool.Why the devil didn't that villain, Bududreen, come! He should have been along to act his part half an hour before.
"No, Virginia," said the man, softly, after a moment's silence, "I could not do that; though my judgment tells me that I should do it.You shall remain here if you insist and I will be with you to serve and protect both you and your father."The words were fair, but the girl could not forget the ugly tone that had tinged his preceding statement.
She felt that she would be glad when she found herself safely within the bungalow once more.
"Come," she said, "it is late.Let us return to camp."Von Horn was about to reply when the war cries of Muda Saffir's Dyaks as they rushed out upon Bududreen and his companions came to them distinctly through the tropic night.
"What was that?" cried the girl in an alarmed tone.
"God knows," replied von Horn."Can it be that our men have mutinied?"He thought the six with Bududreen were carrying out their part in a most realistic manner, and a grim smile tinged his hard face.
Virginia Maxon turned resolutely toward the camp.
"I must go back there to my father," she said, "and so must you.Our place is there--God give that we be not too late," and before von Horn could stop her she turned and ran through the darkness of the jungle in the direction of the camp.
Von Horn dashed after her, but so black was the night beneath the overhanging trees, festooned with their dark myriad creepers, that the girl was out of sight in an instant, and upon the soft carpet of the rotting vegetation her light footfalls gave no sound.
The doctor made straight for the camp, but Virginia, unused to jungle trailing even by day, veered sharply to the left.The sounds which had guided her at first soon died out, the brush became thicker, and presently she realized that she had no conception of the direction of the camp.Coming to a spot where the trees were less dense, and a little moonlight filtered to the ground, she paused to rest and attempt to regain her bearings.
As she stood listening for some sound which might indicate the whereabouts of the camp, she detected the noise of a body approaching through the underbrush.
Whether man or beast she could but conjecture and so she stood with every nerve taut waiting the thing that floundered heavily toward her.She hoped it might be von Horn, but the hideous war cries which had apprised her of enemies at the encampment made her fear that fate might be directing the footsteps of one of these upon her.
Nearer and nearer came the sound, and the girl stood poised ready to fly when the dark face of Bududreen suddenly emerged into the moonlight beside her.
With an hysterical cry of relief the girl greeted him.
"Oh, Bududreen," she exclaimed, "what has happened at camp?
