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this, there was no obstacle to thwart the sudden plan which entered his malign
brain. With a single act he could rid himself of the man whom he had come to
look upon as a rival, whose physical beauty aroused his envy and jealousy; he
could remove, in the person of Professor Maxon, the parental obstacle which
might either prevent his obtaining the girl, or make serious trouble for him in
case he took her by force, and at the same time he could transfer to the girl's
possession the fortune which was now her father's--and he could accomplish it
all without tainting his own hands with the blood of his victims.
As the full possibilities of his devilish scheme unfolded before his mind's eye a
grim smile curled his straight, thin lips at the thought of the fate which it entailed
for the creator of the hideous monsters of the court of mystery.
As he turned away from the bungalow his eye fell upon the trembling lascar who
had accompanied him to the edge of the verandah. He must be rid of the fellow
in some way--no eye must see him perpetrate the deed he had in mind. A
solution quickly occurred to him.
"
Hasten to the harbor," he said to the man in a low voice, "and tell those on board
the ship that I shall join them presently. Have all in readiness to sail. I wish to
fetch some of my belongings--all within the bungalow are dead."
No command could have better suited the sailor. Without a word he turned and
fled toward the jungle. Von Horn walked quickly to the workshop. The door
hung open. Through the dark interior he strode straight to the opposite door
which let upon the court of mystery. On a nail driven into the door frame hung a
heavy bull whip. The doctor took it down as he raised the strong bar which held
the door. Then he stepped through into the moonlit inner campong--the bull
whip in his right hand, a revolver in his left.
A half dozen misshapen monsters roved restlessly about the hard packed earth of
the pen. The noise of the battle in the adjoining enclosure had aroused them
from slumber and awakened in their half formed brains vague questionings and
fears. At sight of von Horn several of them rushed for him with menacing growls,
but a swift crack of the bull whip brought them to a sudden realization of the
identity of the intruder, so that they slunk away, muttering and whining in rage.
Von Horn passed quickly to the low shed in which the remainder of the eleven
were sleeping. With vicious cuts from the stinging lash he lay about him upon
the sleeping things. Roaring and shrieking in pain and anger the creatures
stumbled to their feet and lumbered awkwardly into the open. Two of them
turned upon their tormentor, but the burning weapon on their ill protected flesh
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