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Von Horn himself was often with his employer, as he enjoyed the latter's complete

confidence, and owing to his early medical training was well fitted to act as a

competent assistant; but he was often barred from the workshop, and at such

times was much with Virginia.

The two took long walks through the untouched jungle, exploring their little

island, and never failing to find some new and wonderful proof of Nature's

creative power among its flora and fauna.

What a marvellous thing is creation," exclaimed Virginia as she and von Horn

paused one day to admire a tropical bird of unusually brilliant plumage. "How

insignificant is man's greatest achievement beside the least of Nature's works."

"And yet," replied von Horn, "man shall find Nature's secret some day. What a

glorious accomplishment for him who first succeeds. Can you imagine a more

glorious consummation of a man's life work--your father's, for example?"

The girl looked at von Horn closely.

Dr. von Horn," she said, "pride has restrained me from asking what was

evidently intended that I should not know. For years my father has been

interested in an endeavor to solve the mystery of life--that he would ever attempt

to utilize the secret should he have been so fortunate as to discover it had never

occurred to me. I mean that he should try to usurp the functions of the Creator I

could never have believed, but my knowledge of him, coupled with what you have

said, and the extreme lengths to which he has gone to maintain absolute secrecy

for his present experiments can only lead to one inference; and that, that his

present work, if successful, would have results that would not be countenanced

by civilized society or government. Am I right?"

Von Horn had attempted to sound the girl that he might, if possible, discover her

attitude toward the work in which her father and he were engaged. He had

succeeded beyond his hopes, for he had not intended that she should guess so

much of the truth as she had. Should her interest in the work have proved

favorable it had been his intention to acquaint her fully with the marvellous

success which already had attended their experiments, and to explain their hopes

and plans for the future, for he had seen how her father's attitude had hurt her

and hoped to profit himself by reposing in her the trust and confidence that her

father denied her.

And so it was that her direct question left him floundering in a sea of

embarrassment, for to tell her the truth now would gain him no favor in her eyes,

while it certainly would lay him open to the suspicion and distrust of her father

should he learn of it.

The Monster Men