www.freeclassicebooks.com

of the scene was harshly broken by the crashing of a monster through the

underbrush.

Number Thirteen was standing in a little open place in the jungle when the

discordant note first fell upon his ears, and as he turned his head in the direction

of the sound he was startled at the hideous aspect of the thing which broke

through the foliage before him.

What a horrid creature! But on the same instant his eyes fell upon another borne

in the arms of the terrible one. This one was different--very different,--soft and

beautiful and white. He wondered what it all meant, for everything was strange

and new to him; but when he saw the eyes of the lovely one upon him, and her

arms outstretched toward him, though he did not understand the words upon

her lips, he knew that she was in distress. Something told him that it was the

ugly thing that carried her that was the author of her suffering.

Virginia Maxon had been half unconscious from fright when she suddenly saw a

white man, clothed in coarse, white, native pajamas, confronting her and the

misshapen beast that was bearing her away to what frightful fate she could but

conjecture.

At the sight of the man her voice returned with returning hope, and she reached

her arms toward him, calling upon him to save her. Although he did not respond

she thought that he understood for he sprang toward them before her appeal was

scarce uttered.

As before, when Sing had threatened to filch his new possession from him,

Number One held the girl with one hand while he met the attack of this new

assailant with the other; but here was very different metal than had succumbed

to him before.

It is true that Number Thirteen knew nothing whatever of personal combat, but

Number One had but little advantage of him in the matter of experience, while the

former was equipped with great natural intelligence as well as steel muscles no

whit less powerful than his deformed predecessor.

So it was that the awful giant found his single hand helpless to cope with the

strength of his foeman, and in a brief instant felt powerful fingers clutching at his

throat. Still reluctant to surrender his hold upon his prize, he beat futilely at the

face of his enemy, but at last the agony of choking compelled him to drop the girl

and grapple madly with the man who choked him with one hand and rained

mighty and merciless blows upon his face and head with the other.

The Monster Men