The evening world. Newspaper, December 9, 1915, Page 21

The Evening World Daily Magasine, Thursday, December 9, 1918 (Copyright, the Frank A, Muusey Oo.) SYNOPSIS OF PRECKHDING CHAPTERS, Ps Azan agarory ng secret of mart Tea = A fa end mh Vineie, hie daughter: Si ins“ Chfuese a semblange Tech, Re tN, me ‘on Horn, mpl : Virginia. ——$—— CHAPTER VII. ( Continued.) From the Court of Mystery. ON HORN walked quickly to the workshop. The door hung open, Through the dark interior he strode straight to the opposite which let upon the Court of On a nall driven into the door 9 hung @ heavy oullwhip. The nan took it down as he raised the bar which held the door, Then step! through into the moonlit acabone, the bullwhip in bis sht hand, a revolver in his left number of miss monsters restleasly about the hard- earth of the inolosure. ' As cattle aro driven, Von the miserable creatures toward door of the workshop and ‘where Sing, in hie little lean-to, was mixing érugs. One by one they came lumberin: into the moonlight until Sing ha ‘counted eleven, and then, after them, came a white man, bullwhip and re- volver in hand. It waa Von Horn, The equatorial moon shone fuil upon him. There could be no mis- tak The Chinaman saw the Ger- man turn and lock the workshop saw him cross the campong , gate; saw gar ae through toward the jungle, closin, the gate after him. Then thunder wounded in the dis! It was C: rae ‘ hse ot Oe break Dp ol , vader: tite cover of its darkness Ging Lee scurried through the monst filled campong to the bungalow. Within he found the young maa . head es he “All gettes out,” he said, jerking Dig thumb in the direction of Court of Mystei ‘Eleven devils! Pletty soon come bung’low. What Von do? r Thitteen had seen Hosbwrectra bullwhip hanging upon peg in the living room. For an- ‘stepped into that room and femsor’s sid pa turned to the prof ‘a aide. ‘At the same moment a gust of wind through the broken the door, and as Number by the sound of ing room, he wae confronted by the entire horde of misshapen beings. “What do you want?’ he said, ad- dressing Number Twelve, who stood Mttle in advance of others. 7 “we have come for Maxon,’ growled thé creature. “We have been penned up yong enous. ‘We want to be out here. ‘eo have come to kill Maxon and you and all who have made we are.’ you wish to kill me?” asked “Tam of you. I was same way that you were & soulless creature just * suddenly shouted another “He is not one of us. Kin him! po tage fem and then we s' be as other men, for men keop us as we are. ve, cn tality, ” ae Number in a low voice. “If you can- ae understand fairness, here is some- thing you can understand. ull-whip above his ed 2 at ak edvancing brutes abou hin with mighty strokes that put to shame the comparatively feeble blows with which von Horn had been wont to deal out punishment to the poor creatures of the Court of Mystery. For a moment they stood valiantly before his attack, but after two had grappled with him and been hurled headlong to che floor they gave up and rushed Ineontinently out into the eaming tempest. To the doorway behind Sing Lee had been standing waiting the outcome of the encounter and ready to lend a hand were {t required, As the two men turned back into the professor’ thoy saw that the wounded ma ' open and upon them, wae sight of Number Thirteen a ques- came into his eyes. Hook SMholted, “Answer mot Where are. Virginia’ and Dr. von * all Ni i gonee. No can tell. Maybeso allee same dead stricken man groaned, ‘All *erhe and , his eyes again falling upon the tent ginnt in the doorwa; ‘Out of my sight!” he shricked. ‘Out of my sight. Never \ and to think that like you. Away! Before I go mad and slay you.” Blowly the color the mounted to as death. His great hand gripped the of the bull-whip. A single blow his sleeping mat beneath the canopy en needed which protected his regal head from was all that would have b to silence Prof. Maxon forever, There was murder in the wounded and then something into the room, dual 4 drew his eYes_to a spot upol bs ee @ photograph of Virginia MeMthout a word Number ‘Thirteen into the storm. CHAPTER VIII. The Young Giant. ASARCELY had the Ith hee in all ite terrific tury, : Tack the had been moored for so many months than the tempest broke upon yacht was hurled, shattered, upon the reef; and off arain, Virginia Maxon, below deck, sank to her knees in prayér, for this sho thought must surely be the end. On deck Bududreen and his crew had lashed themselves to the masts, and as the Ithaca struck the reef be- fore the harbor, back upon which she had been driven, the tail poles with their living freight snapped at the deck and went overboard, carrying everything with them, amid shrieks and cries of terror that were drowned and choked by the wild tumult of the ba the cover slid suddenly back and Virginin Maxon found herseit looking into & savage and terrible face. Nor was this all. A score of equally ferocious faces peered down from be- hind the foremoat. With @ scream Virginia Maxon sprang back to the lower deck and ran toward her stateroom. Behind her she heard the commotion of many men emote the companionway in pur- As number Thirteen came into the Lage after quitting the bungalow his heart was a chaos of conflicting emotions, His little world had been wiped out. His creator—the man whom he thought his only friend and benefactor —had suddenly turned againat bim. The beautiful creature Ey wor- shipped was either lost or dead—Sing had sald 80. The sudde: still musing. The storm had ceased, and as the dawn found the man Horn perro brought the surroundings to w Number Thirteen became aware that he was not alono in the campong. All about him lay the eleven terrible men whom he had driven from the bungalow the previous night. The sight of them brought a reali- gation of new responsibilities. To leave them here in the pong would mean the immediate death of Profer- sor Maxon and the Chinaman. To turn them into the jungle might mean a similar fate for Virginia Maxon were she wandering about in search of the encampment. As he looked at the sleeping mon- 4, Stere near him he determined that the only solution of his problem was to ba Bg 3 i, Number Twelve Iny closest to him, and, stepping to his side, be nut him with the butt of the bull-whip he atill carried, ~ Tho creature opened his dull eyes. “Get up,” said Number Thirteen. Number Twelve rose, looking askance at the bull-whip. “We are not wanted here,” said Number Thirteen. “I am going away, and you are all going with me. ehall find a wire Wherd, we may li in peace and freedom. “Are you not Ured of being cooped up always bo- bind'a palisade?"” “Yes,” replied Number Twelve, stil} looking at the whip. “You need not fear the whip,” sald the young man. “I shall not use it on those who make no trouble. Wake the others and tell them what I panes said. All must come with me. Those who refuse shall feel the whip.” Number Twelve did as he was bid. ‘Tho creatures mumbled among them- selves for a few minutes, Finally Number Thirteen cracked his long a to attract their attention. “Come!” he said. Nine of them shuffied after him as he turned toward the outer gate. Tho other two—Numbers Ten Three— showed fight. The others, seeing tits, turned back to the assault, But Num- ber Thirteen met them, whip in hand. Four he stunned before he conquered the mutiny. i Not a moment did he give then be- fore he rounded them up oncé more Near the outer gate, but now they were docile and submissive. Ih patry he ordered them to lift theft uncon: scious comrades to their shoulders and bear them into the jungle, for Num- ber Thirteen was setting out into the world with his grim tribe in search of his lady-love. Chance took them toward the west until presently they emerged upon the harbor's edge, where from the matted jungle they overlooked for the first time the waters of the little bay and the broader expanse of strait beyond until their eyes rested at last upon the blurred lines of distant Borneo. From other vantage points at the jungle'’s border two other watchers looked out upon the scene. One was the lascar whom Von Horn had sent down to the Ithaca the night before, but who had reached the har- bor after she satled. The other was Von Horn himself, and both were looking out upon the dismantled wreck of the Ithaca, where it lay in the sand near the harbor’s southern edge. Neither ventured forth from his room place of concealment, for beyond the yes Ithaca ten war proas were pulling gracefully into the quiet waters of the basin, Raja Muda Safftr, caught by the tor- nado the preceding night as he had been about to beat across to Borneo, had _ scurried for shelter within one of the many tiny coves which indent the island's entire coast, It happened that bis haven of refuge was but a short in which moored, and in the morning he de- me see you again— cided to pay the vessel a visit in the I would have given hope that frorn one of the lascars he wy only daughter to a soulless thing might learn something of advantage about the girl. ‘Tho old rascal had little thought 4 priceless treasure hidden be- 4 face of the giant—then sud- neath the Ithaga's clean-swept deck tently: it receded, Jeaving him as ashen as he ordered his savage henchmen of the up her sides, while he lay back upon the blistering trople sun. they clambered aboard the vessel. With Von Horn he saw the evident above Prof. Maxon’s shoulder. amazement which followed the open- though neither He saw the haste with which a half- turned upon his heel and passed out dozen of the warriors leaped down the companionway, and heard their sav- they pursuéd their ing of the hatch, guessed its cause. age shouts as quarry within the bowels of the ship. A few minutes later they emerged, dragging a woman with them. Von~Horn and Number Thirteen the girl simultaneously, | cleared the reef which lay pytsthe German, though he ground recognized almost across the mouth of his teeth {tn futile rage, knew that he the Uttle harbcs where she Was helpless to avert the tragedy. Number Thirteen neither knew nor cared, “Com horde, distance south of the harbor he knew the Ithaca to be Number Thirteen watched the wild heart The man took a step forward head-hunters with keenest interest as he called to his grotesque ‘Kill the men and save the an Optimist! HOORAY! Now 1 CAN STRIKE THE BOSS FOR A RAISE. girl. The ono with the golden hair,” he added, as the sudden realization came to him that none of these crea- tures ever had seen a woman before. Wita that he dashed from the shelter of the jungle, acroms the beach and into the er, his fearful [Mek at his heels. 4 Number Thirteen was tho. first, pull himself over the vessel's side; an. as he did so Dyaks preparin, opposite side. They were the last of the boa! Party—the girl was no- where in it Without waiting for his men the xpoune giant sprang across the deck. one thought was to find Virginia Maxon. At the sound of his approach the Dyaks turned, and at the sight of a pajama-clad w! with io man, armed only jong whip, thay emitted savage cries of antictpation, counting the handsome head upon the white one's Shquiders as already theirs. Up went the great bull-whip, and without abating his speed a particle the man leaped Into the midst of the wicked blades that menaced him, Right and left with the quickness of thought the heavy lash fell upon heads, shoulders and sword arms. ‘There was no chance to wield a blade in the face of that terrific onslaught, for the whip fell, not with the or- dinary force of a man-held lash, but with all the stupendous power of those giant shoulders and arms be- hind it. A single blow felled the foremost head hunter, breaking his ahoulder and biting into the flesh and bone as a hoavy sword bites. Again and again the merciless leather fell, while in the boats below Muda Saffir and his men shouted loud cries of encouragement to their com- panions on the ship, and a wide-eyed girl in the stern of Muda Saffir's own proa looked on in terror, hope and ad- miration at the man of her own race who she felt was battling egainst all these odds for her alone. Virginia Maxon recognized her champion instantly as he who had fought for and suved her once before from the hideous creature of her father # experiments, With hands tight pressed against her bosom the girl leaned forward, tense with excitement, watchin, ery move of the lithe figure as silhouetted against the brazen tropic sky, it towered above the dancing, shrieking head-hunters who writhed beneath the awful lash. Muda Saffir saw that the battle was going against his men, and it filled him with anger. Turning to one of his headmen he ordered two more boatioads of warriors to the Ithaca’s deck, As they were rushing to obey thelr Joader's command there was a respite in the fighting on the ship, for the three who had not fallen beneath the bullwhip had leaped overboard to es- cape the fate which had overtaken thelr comrades, As the reinforcements started to scale the vessel's side, Number Thir- teen's searching eyes found the girl in Muda Saffir's proa, where it lay a little off from the Ithaca, and as the first of the enemy clambered over the rail she saw a@ smile of encourage- ment light the clear-cut features of the young man above her, » Virginia Maxon sent back an an- ewerlng snitte—a smile that filled the young giant's heart with pride and happiness—such a smile as brave men have been content to fight id die for since woman first learned the art of smiling. The other Dyaks swarmed over the side to the battle, But they advanced no farther, Instead, as they came above the ship's side they paused, wide-eyed and terror-stricken, and with cries of fear and consternation dropped precipitately back into the sea, ing Warnings to those who were about to scale the hull, Muda Saftir rose in his a, cursing: and reviling the frightened Dyaks. He did not know the cause of their alarm, but presently he saw it bebind the giant upon the Ithaca's deck— eleven horrible monstrosities lumber- | saw some half dozen )cry of to quit hét upon the” stant'site fag forward, snarling apd growilng, to their leader's side, « At the sight ‘k counte- nance went ashen, and with trembling lips he ordered bis oarsmen to puil for the open sea. The too, saw the frightful crea- tures that\gurroqun Roe tg tes upon ‘the dec! @ t! it that they were about to nd gave a litre ng, but in another in- ag that they were his companions, f ith him they rushed to the side of the ship to stand for a moment looking down upon the struggling Dyaks in the water below. Two proas lay directly beneath them, and into these the head-hunters were scrambling, The balance of th flotilla were now making rapid head way under oars and sail toward mouth of the harbor. Number Thirteen saw that the girl was being borne away from him and shouted a command to his misshapen crew, then, withott waiting to see if they wonld follow him, leaped into the nearer of the two boats beneath. It was already half filled with Dyaks, some. of whom were hastily manning the oars, Others of the head-hunters were scrambling over the gunwale. In ‘an instant pande:3onium reigned in the vessel. Savage warriors sprang toward the tall figure above them. Parangs flashed. The bull-whip hissed and cracked, and then into the midst of it all came a horrid avalanche of fearful and gro- tesque monsters. The young giant's Lie | crew had followed at ‘Sas com- mand. The battle in the proa was short and fierce. For an instant the Dyaks attempted to hold their own, but in the face of the snarling, rending horde that engulfed them terror got the better of them all, so that those who were not overcome dived over- board and swam rapidly toward shore. The other proa had not waited to assist its companion, but before it was entirely filled had got under way and was now rapidly overhauling the balance of the fleet. Von Horn had been an excited wit- ness to all that had occurred upon the tranquil bosom of the little har- bor. He had been filled with aston- ishment at eight of the inhabitants of the Court of Mystery fighting un- der the leadership of Number Thir- teen, and now he watched interested. ly the outcome of the adventure, Neither Number Thirteen nor any of his crew had ever before seen a boat, and outside of the leader there was scarcely enourh brains in the en- tire party to render it at all Mkely that they could ever navigate tt, but the young man saw that the other proas were being propelled by the long sticks which protruded from their sides, and he also saw the sails bellying with wind, though he had but @ vague conception of thelr purpose. For a moment he stood watching » the actions of the men in the nearest boat, and then he set himself to the task of placing his own men at the oars and instructing them in the man- ner of wielding the unfamiliar tmple- mente, For an hour he worked with the brainless things that constituted his party, They could not seem to learn what was required of them. At last, more through accident than intent, they came opposite the mouth of the basin, and then chance did for them what days of urduous endeavor upon their. part might have falled to accomplish, As they hung wavering in the open- ing, the broad sea straight before them and thelr quarry fast diminish- ing to smal! specks upon the distant horizon, a vagrant land breeze sud- denly bellied the flapping gail, : And It Is the Kind of Story You Like. READ IT. | [anna eee Sunny Sea San Nene SSS SS SENESSERS SSIES vi Ht you tthe to read the red-blooded romance of a red-blooded hero, don't miss THE FIGHTER By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE It Is Next Week's Complete Novel In The Evening World, as tt ON By Callahan YEAH, NOW | DON'T HAVE To PAY ANY CHEER UP, RED, WE'RE ON "PEACE SHI Doprright, 1918, Prem Pubitshiog Co, OF. ¥, World) The pron swung quickly about, with nose pointed toward the sea, 4 sail filled, and the long, narrow crat shot out of the harbor and «ped on over the waters in the wake of her steters. On shore behind them the infuri- ated Dyaks who had escaped to the beach danced and ashrieked—Von Horn, from his hiding-place, looked on in surprised wonder, and Budy- dreen’s lascar cursed the fate that had left @ party of forty head-hunters upon the same island with him, Smaller and smaller grew the re- treating proa as, straight as an arrow, she sped toward the dim outline of verdure-clad Borneo, CHAPTER IX. Bulan. IN HORN cursed the chance that had enatched the girl from him, but he tried to content himself with the thought that the treasure Probably still rested in the cabin of the Ithaca, where Bududreen was to have deposited it. In the water below him floated the Ithaca’s masts, their grisly burde still fashed to their wave-swept eidés. Bududreen lay there, his contorted features set in a horrible grime of death which grinnéd up at ‘ue man he would have cheated as though con- scious of the fact that the white man would have betrayed him had the op- portunity come, the Avhile he enjoyed in anticipation the other's disappoin- ment in the loss of both the girl and the treasure. The tide was rising now, and pres- ently the Ithaca began to float. No sooner was it apparent thap she was free than the Dyaks sprang into the water and ewam to her side, Like monkeys they acrambled aboard, swarming below deck in search thought Von Horn, of pillage. If prayed that they would not discovs. the chest. Presently a half dozen of them leaped overboard and swam to the mass of tangled spars and rigging which Httered the beach, Selecting What they wished, they returned to the vessel, and a few minutes later Von Horn was chagrined to wee them stepping a jurymast--he thought the treagure lay in the Ithaca’s cabin, Before dark the vease! moved slow- Jy out of the harbor, setting a cours across the strait in the direction that the war-proas had taken. Von Horn wondered if the creatures he bad loosed upon Prof. Maxon had done their work before they left, or if they had all turned to mush as had Number Thirteen, Once at thy encamp tions were answered, for he saw light in the bungalow, and as > mounted the steps Sing and I axon came from the living-rooi “Von Horn!” exclaimed the profes “You, then, are not gead; but Virginia? Tell me that she nent his ques- he thas been ca plied tie German, ‘our creatures, under the thing you wished to marry her to, have taken her to Borneo with nd of Ma alone ai vent them, ‘Get her back for me,” pleaded the old man, “and [ swear she shall marry you!" At the very moment that he spoke the man he knew as Number Thir- ay and Dyak pirates, 1 i could do nothing to teen wan entering the dark mouth of a br river that flowed from out of the heart of Borneo, In the proa with him his e hideous companions now bent to t paddies with slightly increased eleleleblelebieeletieiobint THE P* AND = —— MM Za ee al glency, Before them the leader saw & fre blazing upon a tiny island tn the centre of the stream. Toward this thay turned their ailent way. Grimly the war proa, with its frightful freight, nosed closer to the bank. At last Number Thirteen made out the figures of men about the fire, and as they eume still closer he was eure that they were members of the very party he had been pursuing across the broad waters for hours. The drawn up upan the bank, warriors were preparing to Just as the young gian' within the circle of firelight, swarthy Malay approached the fire, dragging a white girl roughly by the arm, No more was needed oe ome vince Number Thirteen of the Identity of the party. ‘With a low command to his fellows he urged them to redouble speed. the same instant a Dyak warrior caught sight of the approaching boat as It sped into the full glare of the light. At sight of the occupants the head- hunters scattered for their own proas, The frightful aspect of the enemy turned their savage hearts to water, leaving no fight in their ordinarily war-like souls So quickly they moved that, as the pursuing proa touched the bank, all the nearer boats had been launched, and the remaining pirates were scurrying across the little island for those which lay upon the opposite side. Among these was the Maley who guarded the girl, but he had not been quick enough to prevent Vir- cinla Maxon recognizing the stalwart figure standing in the bow of the on- coming craft ‘As he dragod her away toward the proa of Muda Saffir she cried out to the strange “nie Leis Now seemed er self appointed protector. i a eletelp! PPro! she called, ‘This way! Across the island!” Calling for those round him to come to his aid, the Raja halted fifty yards from his boat Just as Number Thir- teon, with his flerce, brainless horde, swept up from the opposite side of the island In the wake of him who bore 4 ia Maxon. hi The ‘old Raja succeeded in gathering nome fifty warrtors about him from wo boats which lay the crewa of ti near his. At tho head of his hideous, mir- shapen pack sprang the stalwart giant straight Into the heart of the flashing ling savages. ures lay dead as urned to excnpe @ man who faced parangs of the b Four of the ¢ the last of the 1 from the mad w naked steal with only @ rawhide whip. In panic the head-huntera made is wild dash for the. two remaining ‘ons, for Muda Saffir had succesded in getting away from the Island In safety Number Thirteen reached the wa- ter'a edge but a moment after the prow of the Raja’s craft had cleared the shore and was swinging up- stream under the vigorous strokes of its fifty oarsmen. ‘Turning to the other proas he saw Jready launched, but of the other was en erate battle with the seven remaining members of his crew for possession of the boat Teaping among the combatants, he urged his fellows aboard the proa which was already filled with Dyaks. Then he shoved the boat out into the river, Jumping aboard him self as its prow cleared the gravelly 1 minutes that long, hol- veritable floating hell creaming men locked in here remained but a few brown warriors in one end of the boat when he advantage of utilizing their know!~ edge of the river and of navigation occurred to Number Thirteen Calling to his men, he commanded them to cease killing, making prison- ers of those who remained instead. With difficulty Number ‘Thirteen communicated with them, for among them but a single man, Rarunda, had ever had intercourse with an Englishman, but at last, by means of | it was not difficult to secure i & few words that were common to them he made the native understand that he would apare the lives of himself aad hin compan. ions if they would help him In purwult of Muda Saffir and the girl, The Dyaks felt but little loyalty for the raseally Mainy they served, since, in © on with all their kind, they and theirs had suffered for gonera- tions the hands of the crafty and unscrupulous race that had the administration of their und oe from them the promise of assistance in re- turn for their lives. Number Thirteen noticed that when they addressed him it wae always as Bulan, and, upon interrogating Usem, this title of honor partly in view of bis wonderful fighting and partly be- cause the aight omerging | discoverea ‘that they had given him | of his white face from the darkness into the Meht their fire bad carried to their minds « uggestion of the tropic moon which they reverenced. Hoth the name and the Idea appealed to Number Thirteen, and from that time he adopted Bulan as his rightful Sognomen. it was that, while Raja Muda Safir moved leisurely up the river to- ward his distant stronghold, waiting for the other boats of hin fleet to overtake him, Rarunda, the headman, nee the white enemy swiftly after m. Barunda had discovered that {t was the girl alone this white man wanted, the river. CHAPTER X. River and Jungle. great chest In the bottom of Raja Muda Safir's proa ‘had tn other hearts than his awakened blind greed and avarioe, so (‘Yat as it had | | THE FIGHTER PPOSOROP OS 99998099 ODO remarked Barunda, “You and ~~ , You 1 com “What dors the man @ay?’ asked Number Thirteen, “Fas he heal thing of the proa bearing the “Yes,” replied the Dyak; “ that two hours ago such @ war-pma paneed on its way up the river. in saw the white girl plainly. Also te knows whither they are bound, £ how, by through the jungie on foot, you may intercept them at ‘heir next atop.” And so, with the gitt he tf lying within Afty feet of him, started off through the jungle two of Ninaka’s by their Panglima as to their di Tt was fully an hour ‘hagwafter teat doubts began to enter Bulan’s head, and as they dragged on he came realize that be and hia weird were alone and lost in the Beart a strange and tangled webrof tropidal~ party a jungle. No sooner bad Bulan and hi disappeared in the jungle than runda and Nigaka’ made embark with the chest and the and push rapidly on up the river ward the wild and | peat gions of the intertor. On, on the swift prom aped uj winding channel which had sf Evidently he either knew nothing of ders. the treasure-chest lying tn the m Long-houses had become end of Muda Safir’a boat, or, knowing, more infrequent, until for ime was indifferent. In etther event Ba- now no sign of human naa runde t it that he saw a chance been visible, ponsess himself of the rich con-~ The wth scant- tents of the heavy box, and so served ter ane: the apace th doles his new master with much ‘aaa of the forest trees more open. enthusiasm than he had the old. Virginia Maxon was almost Beneath the paddles of the natives tic with as the utter and the five remaining members of ot position grew his pack Bulan sped up dark river her. Each stroke ef those ee single proa with its priceless was driving her further aod from ‘possibil! r- | za oe fg pron. the Raja cue. earns son sought to clasp Virginia in his arma. Night had fallen dark and impene- She repulsed him flercely. Muda Saffir trabte, and with It had come the stumbled back nat the treasure haunting fears that creep in when chest, lost this lance and fell into the sun hae deserted bis guardian pont. ing t oP end pering to the girls distorted ana fecres been the indirect eanse of his dis- they aster it now proved the incentives of another td turn the mishap to profit and to the final undoing of the Malay. The Panglima, Ninaka, of the St- bana Dyake who manned Muda Saf- fir’a war pros, saw his chief diskp- pear beneath the swift waters of the river, but the word of command that wonld have sent the boat hurriedily back to pick up the swimmer was pot , Btven. Instead, a lusty cry for greater speed ahead urged the sinuous mus- cles gliding beneath the sleek brown g: hides, and when Muda Saffir rose to the surface with a ory for help upon t his Nps Ninaka shouted back to him in derision, consigning his carcass to the belly of the nearest procodile. All through the, nemainger of the long night Ninake,pengered one ques- ton deeply. At last be turned to Virginia, "Why does the big white man who leads the orang-utana follow us?" he ae “Ia it the chest he desires, or you “It is certainly not the chest.” re- pied the girl , te take me back to my father, that is all, If you will return me to htm you may ke the chest, If that 1s what you Shortly after daybreak Ninaka beached his proa before the long. house of & praceret river tribe. e chest he hid in the underbrush close by his boat, and with the girl as- cended the notched log that led to the veranda of the structure, whioh, stretching away for three hundred varda upon ft tall piles, resembied a ‘uge centipede, The dwellers in the long-hduse ex- tended every courtesy to Ninaka and his crew, At the former's request Virginia wae hidden away in a dark sleeping-closet in one of window- Jean Iiving-rooms which opened along the veranda for the full length of the house. At about the thes that Ninaka pulled hin proa upon the beach before the long-house Muda Saffir, who had swum to safety of concealing under- brush upon the shore, saw a familiar war proa forging rapidly up the stream, As it approached him he was about to call aloud to those who manned it for In the bow he saw a number of his own men—but a second glance, 1s the boat came opposite him, caused him to alter his Intentidn and drop further into the engulfing ver- dure, for behind his men squatted tive of the terrible monsters that had wrought such havoc with his expedi- tion, In the stern he saw his own Barunda in friendly converse with the mad white man who had led them, At the long-house whieh harbored Ninaka and his crew Baronda and Bulan stopped with thetrs to obtain food und rest, The quick eye of the Dyak chieftain recognized the proa of Raja Muda SaMr where it lay upon the beach, He said nothing, however, to his white companion of what it augured, It might be well to discover how the lind lay before he committed himself too deeply to either faction, At the top of the notched log he wis met by Ninaka, who, with hor- ror-wide eyes, looked down ypon the fearsome monstrosities that lumbered awkwardly up the rude ladder in the wake of the agile Dyaks and the young white glamt, “What does it mean? whispercd ’anglima to Barunda hese are now my friends," re- Barunda Where is Muda Samir?” his thumb toward Ninaka jerked signiticantly Barunda * he continued, "And the treasure? naka's eyes narrowed They are safe,” he answered “The white man wanta the girl,” £ heltber of the men. appremended: th o fi ‘a absence. af Ninakea was the firat to do s0, and it was he who called loudly the \diers to bring the boat to a stop. they dropped down the river with the current, and paddled about above the gorge for baif an hour, The moment that Maxon felt the waters close above her head she struck out beneath the for the shore upon the opposite to that toward which she bad dived into the river, She knew that if any had seen her leave the proa they would naturally expect to intercept her on her way toward the nearest shore, and ao she took this means of outwit: them, though it meant nearly the otfer tianmues Sn ‘ter swimming # short beneath the surface the girl bay looked about her. Up the river a few: yards she caught the gleam of the Water upon the proa’s paddies as they: H Rext time that she rose rifled to see the proa behind her. The paddlers were pelling the boat slowly in her ton—it was almost upon her there Was @ shout from a man bow--she had been seen. Like @ flash she dived once and, turning, struck out straight back beneath the oncoming boat. When she came to the surface again it was to find herself as far from shore as she had been when first quitted the proa, but the craft was now circling far below her, ashe set out once again to retrace her way toward the inky mass of shore line which loomed apparently near, and yot, as she knew, was some con- siderable distance from her, As she swam, her mind, filled with the terrors of the night, conjured ree- ollection of the stories she had heard of the fierce crocodiles Which infest certain of the rivers of Borneo, Again and again she Id sworn (hat she felt some huge, slimy body sweep beneath her in the mys- terious waters of this unknown rive: Behind her she saw the proa turn back upstream, but now her mind was suddenly engaged with a new danger, for the girl realiaed t the strong current’ was bearing her downstream more rapidly than she had imagined. Already she could ar the increasing roar of the river ae it rushed, wild and tucrultuows \rough the entrance to gorge below her Ypinde sev, How far it was to shore she could iH ii He BEE not guess, or how far to the certain death of the whirling waters teward which she was being drawn by an Irresistible force; but of one thing she was certain—her strength was rapidiy waning, and unless shot reached the bi nk very quick! she would drown won po Bosiges 9 river could suck her into the gorge, With redoubled energy she struck St, mighty effort to The tug of the cur- ‘ong upon her, like a giant hing up out of the eruel bear her back to death, She felt her strength ebbing quick. ly; her strokes now were feeble and futile, With a prayer she threw her hands above her head in the last @f- fort of the drowning swimmer te cluteh at even thin air for support, (To Be Continued.) pie 4 = haste ft { |