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At length, however, he slowly comprehended that no act of his would change the

hideous fact of his origin; that nothing would make him acceptable in her eyes,

and with a shake of his head he arose and stepped toward the living room to

continue his search for the professor.

In the workshop Bududreen and his men had easily located the chest. Dragging it

into the north campong the Malay was about to congratulate himself upon the

ease with which the theft had been accomplished when one of his fellows declared

his intention of going to the house for the purpose of dispatching Professor

Maxon, lest the influence of his evil eye should overtake them with some terrible

curse when the loss of the chest should be discovered.

While this met fully with Bududreen's plans he urged the man against any such

act that he might have witnesses to prove that he not only had no hand in the

crime, but had exerted his authority to prevent it; but when two of the men

separated themselves from the party and crept toward the bungalow no force was

interposed to stop them.

The moon had risen now, so that from the dark shadows of the palisade Muda

Saffir and his savages watched the party with Bududreen squatting about the

heavy chest, and saw the two who crept toward the house. To Muda Saffir's evil

mind there was but one explanation. Bududreen had discovered a rich treasure,

and having stolen that had dispatched two of his men to bring him the girl also.

Rajah Muda Saffir was furious. In subdued whispers he sent a half dozen of his

Dyaks back beneath the shadow of the palisade to the opposite side of the

bungalow where they were to enter the building, killing all within except the girl,

whom they were to carry straight to the beach and the war prahus.

Then with the balance of his horde he crept alone in the darkness until opposite

Bududreen and the watchers about the chest. Just as the two who crept toward

the bungalow reached it, Muda Saffir gave the word for the attack upon the

Malays and lascars who guarded the treasure. With savage yells they dashed

upon the unsuspecting men. Parangs and spears glistened in the moonlight.

There was a brief and bloody encounter, for the cowardly Bududreen and his

equally cowardly crew had had no alternative but to fight, so suddenly had the

foe fallen upon them.

In a moment the savage Borneo head hunters had added five grisly trophies to

their record. Bududreen and another were racing madly toward the jungle

beyond the campong.

As Number Thirteen arose to continue his search for Professor Maxon his quick

ear caught the shuffling of bare feet upon the verandah. As he paused to listen

The Monster Men