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man was able to comprehend--in the meantime it had been necessary to keep von

Horn out of the workshop except when the giant was confined in his own room off

the larger one.

Von Horn had been particularly anxious, for the furtherance of certain plans he

had in mind, to effect a reconciliation with Number Thirteen, to reach a basis of

friendship with the young man, and had left no stone unturned to accomplish

this result. To this end he had spent considerable time with Number Thirteen,

coaching him in English and in the ethics of human association.

He is progressing splendidly, Doctor," Professor Maxon had said. "It will be but a

matter of a day or so when I can introduce him to Virginia, but we must be

careful that she has no inkling of his origin until mutual affection has gained a

sure foothold between them."

"And if that should not occur?" questioned von Horn.

"I should prefer that they mated voluntarily," replied the professor, the strange

gleam leaping to his eyes at the suggestion of possible antagonism to his

cherished plan, "but if not, then they shall be compelled by the force of my

authority--they both belong to me, body and soul."

"You will wait for the final consummation of your desires until you return with

them to civilization, I presume," said von Horn.

"And why?" returned the professor. "I can wed them here myself--it would be the

surer way--yes, that is what I shall do."

It was this determination on the part of Professor Maxon that decided von Horn to

act at once. Further, it lent a reasonable justification for his purposed act.

Shortly after their talk the older man left the workshop, and von Horn took the

opportunity to inaugurate the second move of his campaign. Number Thirteen

was sitting near a window which let upon the inner court, busy with the

rudiments of written English. Von Horn approached him.

"You are getting along nicely, Jack," he said kindly, looking over the other's

shoulder and using the name which had been adopted at his suggestion to lend a

more human tone to their relations with the nameless man.

"Yes," replied the other, looking up with a smile. "Professor Maxon says that in

another day or two I may come and live in his own house, and again meet his

beautiful daughter. It seems almost too good to be true that I shall actually live

under the same roof with her and see her every day--sit at the same table with

her--and walk with her among the beautiful trees and flowers that witnessed our

The Monster Men