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His captive sank to the ground, too weak from the effects of nervous shock to

escape, and with horror-filled eyes watched the two who battled over her. She

saw that her would-be rescuer was young and strong featured--all together a very

fine specimen of manhood; and to her great wonderment it was soon apparent

that he was no unequal match for the great mountain of muscle that he fought.

Both tore and struck and clawed and bit in the frenzy of mad, untutored strife,

rolling about on the soft carpet of the jungle almost noiselessly except for their

heavy breathing and an occasional beast-like snarl from Number One. For

several minutes they fought thus until the younger man succeeded in getting

both hands upon the throat of his adversary, and then, choking relentlessly, he

raised the brute with him from the ground and rushed him fiercely backward

against the stem of a tree. Again and again he hurled the monstrous thing upon

the unyielding wood, until at last it hung helpless and inert in his clutches, then

he cast it from him, and without another glance at it turned toward the girl.

Here was a problem indeed. Now that he had won her, what was he to do with

her? He was but an adult child, with the brain and brawn of a man, and the

ignorance and inexperience of the new-born. And so he acted as a child acts, in

imitation of what it has seen others do. The brute had been carrying the lovely

creature, therefore that must be the thing for him to do, and so he stooped and

gathered Virginia Maxon in his great arms.

She tried to tell him that she could walk after a moment's rest, but it was soon

evident that he did not understand her, as a puzzled expression came to his face

and he did not put her down as she asked. Instead he stood irresolute for a time,

and then moved slowly through the jungle. By chance his direction was toward

the camp, and this fact so relieved the girl's mind that presently she was far from

loath to remain quietly in his arms.

After a moment she gained courage to look up into his face. She thought that she

never had seen so marvellously clean cut features, or a more high and noble

countenance, and she wondered how it was that this white man was upon the

island and she not have known it. Possibly he was a new arrival--his presence

unguessed even by her father. That he was neither English nor American was

evident from the fact that he could not understand her native tongue. Who could

he be! What was he doing upon their island!

As she watched his face he suddenly turned his eyes down upon her, and as she

looked hurriedly away she was furious with herself as she felt a crimson flush

mantle her cheek. The man only half sensed, in a vague sort of way, the meaning

of the tell tale color and the quickly averted eyes; but he became suddenly aware

of the pressure of her delicate body against his, as he had not been before. Now

The Monster Men