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"I agree with you," said von Horn quickly, seeing another possibility that would

make his future plans immeasurably easier. "It was wicked, and it is still more

wicked to continue the work and bring still other unfortunate creatures into the

world to be the butt and plaything of cruel fate."

He intends to do that?" asked the youth.

Unless he is stopped," replied von Horn.

He must be stopped," cried the other. "Even if it were necessary to kill him."

Von Horn was quite satisfied with the turn events had taken. He shrugged his

shoulders and turned on his heel toward the outer campong.

"If he had wronged me as he has you, and those others," with a gesture toward

the court of mystery, "I should not be long in reaching a decision." And with that

he passed out, leaving the door unlatched.

Von Horn went straight to the south campong and sought out Bududreen.

Motioning the Malay to follow him they walked across the clearing and entered

the jungle out of sight and hearing of the camp. Sing, hanging clothes in the

north end of the clearing saw them depart, and wondered a little.

"Bududreen," said von Horn, when the two had reached a safe distance from the

enclosures, "there is no need of mincing matters--something must be done at

once. I do not know how much you know of the work that Professor Maxon has

been engaged in since we reached this island; but it has been hellish enough and

it must go no further. You have seen the creatures in the campong next to

yours?"

"I have seen," replied Bududreen, with a shudder.

Professor Maxon intends to wed one of these to his daughter," von Horn

continued. "She loves me and we wish to escape--can I rely on you and your men

to aid us? There is a chest in the workshop which we must take along too, and I

can assure you that you all will be well rewarded for your work. We intend

merely to leave Professor Maxon here with the creatures he has created."

Bududreen could scarce repress a smile--it was indeed too splendid to be true.

"It will be perilous work, Captain," he answered. "We should all be hanged were

we caught."

"There will be no danger of that, Bududreen, for there will be no one to divulge

our secret."

The Monster Men