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who had saved her life。
Left alone； or as he thought alone； with the girl in the growing
shadows of the evening； von Horn thought the moment propitious for
renewing his suit。 He did not consider the natives squatting about them
as of sufficient consequence to consider； since they would not understand
the language in which he addressed Virginia； and in the dusk he failed to
note that Sing squatted with the Dyaks； close behind them。
〃Virginia；〃 he commenced； after an interval of silence； 〃often before
have I broached the subject nearest to my heart； yet never have you given
me much encouragement。 Can you not feel for the man who would gladly
give his life for you； sufficient affection to permit you to make him the
happiest man in the world？ I do not ask for all your love at firstthat will
come later。 Just give me the right to cherish and protect you。 Say that you
will be my wife； Virginia； and we need have no more fears that the strange
vagaries of your father's mind can ever again jeopardize your life or your
happiness as they have in the past。〃
〃I feel that I owe you my life；〃 replied the girl in a quiet voice； 〃and
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while I am now positive that my father has entirely regained his sanity；
and looks with as great abhorrence upon the terrible fate he planned for
me as I myself； I cannot forget the debt of gratitude which belongs to you。
〃At the same time I do not wish to be the means of making you
unhappy； as surely would be the result were I to marry you without love。
Let us wait until I know myself better。 Though you have spoken to me of
the matter before； I realize now that I never have made any effort to
determine whether or not I really can love you。 There is time enough
before we reach civilization； if ever we are fortunate enough to do so at all。
Will you not be as generous as you are brave； and give me a few days
before I must make you a final answer？〃
With Professor Maxon's solemn promise to insure his ultimate success
von Horn was very gentle and gracious in deferring to the girl's wishes。
The girl for her part could not put from her mind the disappointment she
had felt when she discovered that her rescuer was von Horn； and not the
handsome young giant whom she had been positive was in close pursuit of
her abductors。
When Number Thirteen had been mentioned she had always pictured
him as a hideous monster； similar to the creature that had seized her in the
jungle beside the encampment that first day she had seen the mysterious
stranger； of whom she could obtain no information either from her father
or von Horn。 When she had recently insisted that the same man had been
at the head of her father's creatures in an attempt to rescue her； both von
Horn and Professor Maxon scoffed at the idea； until at last she was
convinced that the fright and the firelight had conspired to conjure in her
brain the likeness of one who was linked by memory to another time of
danger and despair。
Virginia could not understand why it was that the face of the stranger
persisted in obtruding itself in her memory。 That the man was unusually
good looking was undeniable； but she had known many good looking men；
nor was she especially impressionable to mere superficial beauty。 No
words had passed between them on the occasion of their first meeting； so
it could have been nothing that he said which caused the memory of him
to cling so tenaciously in her mind。
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THE MONSTER MEN
What was it then？ Was it the memory of the moments that she had
lain in his strong armswas it the shadow of the sweet； warm glow that
had suffused her as his eyes had caught hers upon his face？
The thing was tantalizingit was annoying。 The girl blushed in
mortification at the very thought that she could cling so resolutely to the
memory of a total stranger； andstill greater humiliationlong in the
secret depths of her soul to see him again。
She was angry with herself； but the more she tried to forget the young
giant who had come into her life for so brief an instant； the more she
speculated upon his identity and the strange fate that had brought him to
their little； savage island only to snatch him away again as mysteriously as
he had come； the less was the approval with which she looked upon the
suit of Doctor von Horn。
Von Horn had left her； and strolled down to the river。 Finally Virginia
arose to seek the crude couch which had been spread for her in one of the
sleeping rooms of the long…house。 As she passed a group of natives
squatted nearby one of the number arose and approached her； and as she
halted； half in fright； a low voice whispered：
〃Lookee out； Linee； dloctor Hornee velly bad man。〃
〃Why； Sing！〃 exclaimed Virginia。 〃What in the world do you mean
by saying such a thing as that？〃
〃Never mind； Linee； you always good to old Sing。 Sing no likee see
you sadee。 Dloctor Hornee velly bad man； las allee；〃 and without
another word the Chinaman turned and walked away。
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13 BURIED TREASURE
After the escape of the girl Barunda and Ninaka had fallen out over
that affair and the division of the treasure； with the result that the panglima
had slipped a knife between the ribs of his companion and dropped the
body overboard。
Barunda's followers； however； had been highly enraged at the act； and
in the ensuing battle which they waged for revenge of their murdered chief
Ninaka and his crew had been forced to take to the shore and hide in the
jungle。
With difficulty they had saved the chest and dragged it after them into
the mazes of the underbrush。 Finally； however； they succeeded in
eluding the angry enemy； and took up their march through the interior for
the head of a river which would lead them to the sea by another route； it
being Ninaka's intention to dispose of the contents of the chest as quickly
as possible through the assistance of a rascally Malay who dwelt at
Gunung Tebor； where he carried on a thriving trade with pirates。
But presently it became appar