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his face he entered the workshop。
〃Number One has escaped into the jungle； Professor；〃 he said。
Professor Maxon looked up in surprise； but before he had an
opportunity to reply a woman's scream； shrill with horror； smote upon
their startled ears。
Von Horn was the first to reach the campong of the whites。 Professor
Maxon was close behind him； and the faces of both were white with
apprehension。 The enclosure was deserted。 Not even Sing was there。
Without a word the two men sprang through the gateway and raced for the
jungle in the direction from which that single； haunting cry had come。
Virginia Maxon； idling beneath the leafy shade of the tropical foliage；
became presently aware that she had wandered farther from the campong
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than she had intended。 The day was sultry； and the heat； even in the dense
shade of the jungle； oppressive。 Slowly she retraced her steps； her eyes
upon the ground； her mind absorbed in sad consideration of her father's
increasing moodiness and eccentricity。
Possibly it was this very abstraction which deadened her senses to the
near approach of another。 At any rate the girl's first intimation that she
was not alone came when she raised her eyes to look full into the horrid
countenance of a fearsome monster which blocked her path toward camp。
The sudden shock brought a single involuntary scream from her lips。
And who can wonder！ The thing thrust so unexpectedly before her eyes
was hideous in the extreme。 A great mountain of deformed flesh clothed
in dirty； white cotton pajamas！ Its face was of the ashen hue of a fresh
corpse； while the white hair and pink eyes denoted the absence of pigment；
a characteristic of albinos。
One eye was fully twice the diameter of the other； and an inch above
the horizontal plane of its tiny mate。 The nose was but a gaping orifice
above a deformed and twisted mouth。 The thing was chinless； and its
small； foreheadless head surrounded its colossal body like a cannon ball
on a hill top。 One arm was at least twelve inches longer than its mate；
which was itself long in proportion to the torso； while the legs； similarly
mismated and terminating in huge； flat feet that protruded laterally； caused
the thing to lurch fearfully from side to side as it lumbered toward the girl。
A sudden grimace lighted the frightful face as the grotesque eyes fell
upon this new creature。 Number One had never before seen a woman；
but the sight of this one awoke in the unplumbed depths of his soulless
breast a great desire to lay his hands upon her。 She was very beautiful。
Number One wished to have her for his very own； nor would it be a
difficult matter； so fragile was she； to gather her up in those great； brute
arms and carry her deep into the jungle far out of hearing of the bull…whip
man and the cold； frowning one who was continually measuring and
weighing Number One and his companions； the while he scrutinized them
with those strange； glittering eyes that frightened one even more than the
cruel lash of the bull whip。
Number One lurched forward； his arms outstretched toward the horror
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THE MONSTER MEN
stricken girl。 Virginia tried to cry out againshe tried to turn and run； but
the horror of her impending fate and the terror that those awful features
induced left her paralyzed and helpless。
The thing was almost upon her now。 The mouth was wide in a
hideous attempt to smile。 The great hands would grasp her in another
secondand then there was a sudden crashing of the underbrush behind
her； a yellow； wrinkled face and a flying pig…tail shot past her； and the
brave old Sing Lee grappled with the mighty monster that threatened her。
The battle was shortshort and terrible。 The valiant Chinaman
sought the ashen throat of his antagonist； but his wiry； sinewy muscles
were as reeds beneath the force of that inhuman power that opposed them。
Holding the girl at arm's length in one hand； Number One tore the battling
Chinaman from him with the other； and lifting him bodily above his head；
hurled him stunned and bleeding against the bole of a giant buttress tree。
Then lifting Virginia in his arms once more he dived into the impenetrable
mazes of the jungle that lined the more open pathway between the beach
and camp。
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THE MONSTER MEN
4 A NEW FACE
As Professor Maxon and von Horn rushed from the workshop to their
own campong； they neglected； in their haste； to lock the door between； and
for the first time since the camp was completed it stood unlatched and ajar。
The professor had been engaged in taking careful measurements of the
head of his latest experiment； the while he coached the young man in the
first rudiments of spoken language； and now the subject of his labors
found himself suddenly deserted and alone。 He had not yet been without
the four walls of the workshop； as the professor had wished to keep him
from association with the grotesque results of his earlier experiments； and
now a natural curiosity tempted him to approach the door through which
his creator and the man with the bull whip had so suddenly disappeared。
He saw before him a great walled enclosure roofed by a lofty azure
dome； and beyond the walls the tops of green trees swaying gently in the
soft breezes。 His nostrils tasted the incense of fresh earth and growing
things。 For the first time he felt the breath of Nature； free and unconfined；
upon his brow。
He drew his giant frame to its full height and drank in the freedom and
the sweetness of it all； filling his great lungs to their fullest； and with the
first taste he learned to hate the close and stuffy confines of his prison。
His virgin mind was filled with wonder at the wealth of new
impressions which surged to his brain through every sense。 He longed
for more； and the open gateway of the campong was a scarce needed
invitation to pass to the wide world beyond。 Wi