THE HEAVY CHEST
Virginia and Sing were to the of the a dozen times. The Chinaman was at a to what had the at the very of victory. Von Horn that they had the from the shore, but Sing that that was since the Ithaca had been directly them and the point at which the returning had entered the boats.
Virginia was positive that her had them into a retreat, but again Sing any such idea when he pointed to the that another would have the close to the Ithaca's and out of the machine gun's of action.
The old Chinaman was positive that the had some for defeat, and his long years of upon gave weight to his opinion. The weak spot in his was his to a motive. And so it was that for a long time they were left to as to the action that had saved them from a with these sea wolves.
For a week the men were the new camp, but again was Virginia left without a for her protection. Von Horn was always needed at the work, for to him had the entire direction of of that were at all of a practical nature. Professor Maxon to watch the of the houses and the stockade, that he might offer such as he necessary, and again the girl noticed her father's to her welfare.
She had been at his at the time of the attack, and that it should have been necessary for Horn to have upon a proper being left with her thereafter.
The nearer the approach of the time when he might enter again upon those which had now been neglected for the part of a year the more self and the professor. At times he was to those about him, and now did he have a word or a for the who had been his whole life but a months before.
It often to Virginia when she her father's upon her that there was a of in them, as though he would have been to have been of her that she might not in any way or with his work.
The was at last completed, and on a Saturday all the articles from the ship had been to it. On the Monday the of the was to be sent on and the party were to transfer their to their new quarters.
Late Sunday a small native was the point at the harbor's southern extremity, and after a minutes it alongside the Ithaca. There were but three men in it—two Dyaks and a Malay. The was a tall, well man of middle age, of a and countenance. His was that of the ordinary Malay boatman, but there was that in his and his toward his which his habiliments.
In answer to Horn's the man asked if he might come and trade; but once on the it that he had nothing to trade. He not the by this discovery, that he would such articles as they when he had learned what their were.
The Sing was on hand the interview, but from his none might what was through the of his Oriental mind. The Malay had been nearly an hour talking with Horn when the mate, Bududreen, came on deck, and it was Sing alone who noted the of which passed the two Malays.
The Chinaman also saw the that into the visitor's as Virginia from the cabin, but by no word or did the man that he had noticed her. Shortly he left, promising to return with the day. But it was to be months they again saw him.
That as Sing was Virginia's supper he asked her if she had their visitor of the afternoon.
"Why no, Sing," she replied, "I saw him before."
"Sh!" the celestial. "No so strong, have ear all same labbit."
"What do you mean, Sing?" asked the girl in a low voice. "How perfectly and you are. Why you make the cold up my spine," she ended, laughing. But Sing did not return her as was his custom.
"You no Lajah up in boat, ah?" he urged.
"Oh, Sing," she cried, "I do indeed! But unless you had me I should have to him with our visitor of today—they do look very much alike, don't they?"
"Lookeelike! Ugh, they all one man. Sing know. You out, Linee," which was the that Sing had been able to come to Virginia.
"Why should I look out? He doesn't want me," said the girl, laughingly.
"Don't you too sure 'bout lat, Linee," was Sing's but reply, as he toward his galley.
The the party, with the of three Malays who were left to the Ithaca, set out for the new camp. The was up the of the small which into the harbor, so that although fifteen men had passed and through the from the beach to the every day for two weeks, there was no that had the narrow of that the and the harbor.
The of the good walking, and as Virginia was in a two powerful it was not necessary that she wet her in the of the to the camp. The was short, the center of the being but a mile from the harbor, and less than a mile from the opposite of the which was but two miles at its breadth, and two and a at its length.
At the Virginia that a had been upon a little tableland, a about it, and into three parts; the most of which a small house for herself and her father, another for Horn, and a common cooking and house over which Sing was to preside.
The at the end of the was for the Malay and and there also were for Bududreen and the Malay second mate. The center Professor Maxon's workshop. This of the Virginia was not to inspect, but as members of the in the two great which the had left upon the Ithaca until the last moment, Virginia a of the two that had been this space—a small, square house which was her father's laboratory, and a long, low into compartments, each a bunk. She for they be intended. Quarters for all the party had already been for elsewhere, nor, she, would her father wish to house any in such close to his workshop, where he would and from interruption. The her not a little, but so were her relations with her father that she would not question him upon this or any other subject.
As the two were being into the campong, Sing, who was near Virginia, called her attention to the that Bududreen was one of those who the weight of the burden.
"Bludleen, him mate. Why boy? Eh?" But Virginia give no reason.
"I am you don't like Bududreen, Sing," she said. "Has he you in any way?"
"Him? No, him no Sing. Sing poor," with which more or less the Chinaman returned to his work. But he much to himself the of the day, for Sing that a that four men in the but one thing, and he that Bududreen was as wise in such as he.
For a of months the life of the little on peacefully and without incident. The Malay and their time watch on the Ithaca, the camp, and a little of just south of their own campong.
There was a small on the island's east coast, only a of a mile from camp, in which were found, and one of the Ithaca's was around to this of the for fishing. Bududreen often these expeditions, and on occasions the lynx-eyed Sing had him returning to long after the others had retired for the night.
Professor Maxon left the enclosure. For days and nights at a time Virginia saw him, his being passed in to him by Sing through a small door that had been cut in the partition of the "court of mystery" as Horn had the of the to the professor's experimentations.
Von Horn himself was often with his employer, as he the latter's complete confidence, and to his early medical was well to act as a assistant; but he was often from the workshop, and at such times was much with Virginia.
The two took long walks through the jungle, their little island, and to some new and proof of Nature's power among its and fauna.
"What a thing is creation," Virginia as she and Horn paused one day to a bird of plumage. "How is man's the least of Nature's works."
"And yet," Horn, "man shall Nature's some day. What a for him who succeeds. Can you a more of a man's life work—your father's, for example?"
The girl looked at Horn closely.
"Dr. Horn," she said, "pride has me from what was that I should not know. For years my father has been in an to solve the of life—that he would attempt to the should he have been so as to it had to me. I that he should try to the functions of the Creator I have believed, but my knowledge of him, with what you have said, and the lengths to which he has gone to maintain for his present can only lead to one inference; and that, that his present work, if successful, would have results that would not be by or government. Am I right?"
Von Horn had to the girl that he might, if possible, her toward the work in which her father and he were engaged. He had succeeded his hopes, for he had not that she should so much of the truth as she had. Should her in the work have proved it had been his to her with the success which already had their experiments, and to their and plans for the future, for he had how her father's had her and to profit himself by in her the trust and that her father her.
And so it was that her direct question left him in a sea of embarrassment, for to tell her the truth now would him no in her eyes, while it would him open to the and of her father should he learn of it.
"I cannot answer your question, Miss Maxon," he said, finally, "for your father's has been that I to no one the the of mystery. Remember that I am in your father's employ, and that no what my personal may be the work he has been doing I may only act with to his while I upon his payroll. That you are here," he added, "is my for my with of which my not approve."
The girl at him quickly. She did not the for his final avowal, and a her from him. She had learned to look upon Horn as a very and a good friend—she was not that she would for any in their relations, but his had the of a new in her mind as he had that it should.
When Horn returned to the of mystery, he to Professor Maxon the of his with Virginia, to anything which the girl might say to her father that would give him an that Horn had been talking more than he should. Professor Maxon to the in silence. When Horn had finished, he him against to Virginia anything that took place the campong.
"She is only a child," he said, "and would not the of the work we are doing. All that she would be able to see is the of these upon the themselves—she would not look into the and the to that must from a successful of our research. The of the world will be when once we have the possibility of the chemical production of a perfect race."
"Number One, for example," Horn.
Professor Maxon at him sharply.
"Levity, Doctor, is out of place in the of the work I have already accomplished," said the tartly. "I admit that Number One much to be desired—much to be desired; but Number Two a marked along lines, and I am sure that tomorrow will in Number Three such as will any toward which you may now entertain."
"Forgive me, Professor," Horn to urge. "I did not to the which you have made, but it is only natural that we should that Number One is not beautiful. To one another we may say what we would not think of to outsiders."
Professor Maxon was by this apology, and to his watch a large, coffin-shaped vat. For a while Horn was silent. There was that upon his mind which he had to discuss with his since months ago, but the moment had which at all propitious, did it appear likely to arrive. So the doctor to the now, as being as a time as any.
"Your is from happy, Professor," he said, "nor do I that, as we are by semi-savage men, she is safe."
Professor Maxon looked up from his by the vat, Horn closely.
"Well?" he asked.
"It to me that had I a closer relationship I might in adding to her and safety—in short, Professor, I should like your permission to ask Virginia to me."
There had been no in Horn's toward the girl that he loved her. That she was and not be denied, and so it was small wonder that she might to any man, but Horn was not of the marrying type. For years he had the world in search of and excitement. Just why he had left America and his high place in the he had divulged; why it was that for seven years he had not set his upon ground which the authority of Uncle Sam.
Sing Lee who just without the door through which he was about to pass Professor Maxon's to him not be for the conversation, though it may have been in him in making no to his presence, and possibly unpraiseworthy, as well as in romance, to the doctor's to his knowledge of the chest.
As Professor Maxon the man to his request, Horn noted a and light in the older man's eyes—a something which he had there and which an to over him—a manner of that was either to or horror, Horn not tell which.
Then the from his seat and came very close to the man, until his was only a from Horn's.
"Doctor," he in a strange, voice, "you are mad. You do not know what you ask. Virginia is not for such as you. Tell me that she not know of your toward her. Tell me that she not your love. Tell me the truth, man." Professor Maxon Horn by shoulders, his into the other's.
"I have spoken to her of love, Professor," Horn quietly, "nor do I know what her toward me may be. Nor do I understand, sir, what you may have to me—I am of a very old and family." His was but respectful.
Professor Maxon his upon his assistant, a of relief.
"I am glad," he said, "that it has gone no further, for it must not be. I have other, for my daughter. She must a perfect man—none such now exists. It for me to the for her—nor is the time distant. A more and we shall see such a being as I have long dreamed." Again the light for a moment in the once and of the scientist.
Von Horn was horrified. He was a man of little sentiment. He in cold blood have married this girl for the he that she would inherit; but the that she was to be with such a THING—"Lord! It is horrible," and his mind pictured the which was as Number One.
Without a word he and left the campong. A moment later Sing's Professor Maxon from the into which he had fallen, and he to the door to his meal.
