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gone inland, leaving him to guard the boat. He said that he thought he could

guide them to the spot where the white man might be found.

Professor Maxon and Sing accompanied one of the officers and a dozen sailors in

the wake of the Dyak guide. Virginia and Bulan remained in the cutter, as the

latter was still too weak to attempt the hard march through the jungle. For an

hour the party traversed the trail in the wake of von Horn and his savage

companions. They had come almost to the spot when their ears were assailed by

the weird and blood curdling yells of native warriors, and a moment later von

Horn's escort dashed into view in full retreat.

At sight of the white men they halted in relief, pointing back in the direction they

had come, and jabbering excitedly in their native tongue. Warily the party

advanced again behind these new guides; but when they reached the spot they

sought, the cause of the Dyaks' panic had fled, warned, doubtless, by their

trained ears of the approach of an enemy.

The sight that met the eyes of the searchers told all of the story that they needed

to know. A hole had been excavated in the ground, partially uncovering a heavy

chest, and across this chest lay the headless body of Doctor Carl von Horn.

Lieutenant May turned toward Professor Maxon with a questioning look.

It is he," said the scientist.

But the chest?" inquired the officer.

Mlaxon's tleasure," spoke up Sing Lee. "Hornee him tly steal it for long time."

Treasure!" ejaculated the professor. "Bududreen gave up his life for this. Rajah

Muda Saffir fought and intrigued and murdered for possession of it! Poor,

misguided von Horn has died for it, and left his head to wither beneath the rafters

of a Dyak long-house! It is incredible."

But, Professor Maxon," said Lieutenant May, "men will suffer all these things and

more for gold."

"Gold!" cried the professor. "Why, man, that is a box of books on biology and

eugenics."

"My God!" exclaimed May, "and von Horn was accredited to be one of the

shrewdest swindlers and adventurers in America! But come, we may as well

return to the cutter--my men will carry the chest."

No!" exclaimed Professor Maxon with a vehemence the other could not

understand. "Let them bury it again where it lies. It and what it contains have

The Monster Men