SING SPEAKS
For a week Professor Maxon with Horn and Sing for Virginia. They no help from the of the long-house, who the of Muda Saffir should he learn that they had the white men upon his trail.
And always as the three through the and up and the river there near a of the men of the of the two Horn had murdered, waiting for the that would give them and the of the three they followed. They the of the white men too much to an open attack, and at night the their watchfulness, so that days on, and still the three their of the that their footsteps.
Von Horn was always for an opportunity to the of the in an to the chest, but so he had none who would agree to him in of a large of the booty. It was the alone which him to the search for Virginia Maxon, and he it a point to direct the always in the of the spot where it was buried, for a great him that Ninaka might return and it he had a to make away with it.
Three times the week they returned and slept at the long-house, each time to learn that the had some news of her they sought, through the of that always open across the and up and the savage, rivers.
For two days Bulan in the of fever, while the girl, to and exposure, over him and nursed him with the and of a mother with her born.
For the most part the giant's were inarticulate, but now and then Virginia her name with of and worship. The man again the he had passed through, and again the long night the sleeping girl who his heart. Then it was that she learned the truth of his self-sacrificing devotion. The thing that puzzled her most was the of a number and a name which ran through all his delirium—"Nine ninety nine Priscilla."
She make neither of it, was there another word to give a to its meaning, so at last from it a and she gave it no thought.
The girl had up that Bulan recover, so weak and had he become, and when the left him she was positive that it was the of the end. It was on the of the seventh day since they had their in search of the long-house that, as she sat him, she saw his upon her with a look of recognition.
Gently she took his hand, and at the act he at her very weakly.
"You are better, Bulan," she said. "You have been very sick, but now you shall soon be well again."
She did not her own words, yet the saying of them gave her hope.
"Yes," the man. "I shall soon be well again. How long have I been like this?"
"For two days," she replied.
"And you have over me alone in the for two days?" he asked incredulously.
"Had it been for life," she said in a low voice, "it would have the I you."
For a long time he looking up into her eyes—longingly, wistfully.
"I wish that it had been for life," he said.
At she did not what he meant, but presently the and of his to her a knowledge of his meaning.
"Oh, Bulan," she cried, "you must not say that. Why should you wish to die?"
"Because I love you, Virginia," he replied. "And because, when you know what I am, you will and me."
On the girl's was an of her own love, but as she closer to the in his ear there came the of men through the jungle, and as she to the that she approaching, Horn into view, while directly him came her father and Sing Lee.
Bulan saw them at the same instant, and as Virginia ran to her father he to his feet. Von Horn was the to see the giant, and with an toward him, his as he came.
"You beast," he cried. "We have you at last."
At the Virginia toward Bulan with a little of and of horror. Professor Maxon was her.
"Shoot the monster, Horn," he ordered. "Do not let him escape."
Bulan himself to his full height, and though he from weakness, yet he and above the man who him.
"Shoot!" he said calmly. "Death cannot come too soon now."
At the same Horn the trigger. The giant's back, he staggered, about, and to the earth just as Virginia Maxon's arms closed about him.
Von Horn close and pushing the girl pressed the of his gun to Bulan's temple, but an of wrinkled, yellow skin was upon him he the a second time, and Sing had him a dozen and his weapon.
Moaning and Virginia herself upon the of the man she loved, while Professor Maxon to her to her away from the thing for he had once her.
Like a the girl upon the two white men.
"You are murderers," she cried. "Cowardly murderers. Weak and by he not you, and so you have the world of one of the men that God created."
"Hush!" Professor Maxon. "Hush, child, you do not know what you say. The thing was a monster—a monster."
At the the girl looked up at her father, a of his meaning her like a in the face.
"What do you mean?" she whispered. "Who was he?"
It was Horn who answered.
"No god that," he said, with a at the still of the man at their feet. "He was one of the of your father's experiments—the thing for arms his you. The thing at your feet, Virginia, was Number Thirteen."
With a little the girl toward the of the giant. A step she took toward it, and then to the of her father she upon her it and the man's in her arms the with kisses.
"Virginia!" the professor. "Are you mad, child?"
"I am not mad," she moaned, "not yet. I love him. Man or monster, it would have been all the same to me, for I loved him."
Her father away, his in his hands.
"God!" he muttered. "What an you have visited upon me for the of the thing I did."
The which was by Sing who had opposite Virginia upon the other of Bulan, where he was the giant's and pressing his ear close above his heart.
"Do'n cly, Linee," said the old Chinaman. "Him no dlead." Then, as he a pinch of into the man's mouth from a he had from the of one of his sleeves: "Him no either, Linee. Him white man, Mlaxon. Sing know."
The girl looked up at him in gratitude.
"He is not dead, Sing? He will live?" she cried. "I don't about anything else, Sing, if you will only make him live."
"Him live. Gettem wounds. Las all."
"What do you by saying that he is not a monster?" Horn.
"You waitee, you flool," Sing. "I more I know. You I him, and then, by God, I you."
Von Horn took a step toward the Chinaman, his black with wrath, but Professor Maxon interposed.
"This has gone enough, Doctor Horn," he said. "It may be that we hastily. I do not know, of course, what Sing means, but I to out. He has been very to us, and every consideration."
Von Horn back, still scowling. Sing a little water Bulan's lips, and then asked Professor Maxon for his flask. With the of the liquid the giant's moved, and a moment later he them and looked about him.
The he saw was Virginia's. It was full of love and compassion.
"They have not told you yet?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "They have told me, but it makes no difference. You have me the right to say it, Bulan, and I do say it now again, them all—I love you, and that is all there is that makes any difference."
A look of his momentarily, only to as as it had come.
"No, Virginia," he said, sadly, "it would not be right. It would be wicked. I am not a being. I am only a monster. You cannot with such as I. You must go away with your father. Soon you will me."
"Never, Bulan!" the girl, determinedly.
The man was about to attempt to her, when Sing interrupted.
"You still, Bulan," he said. "You wait till Sing tellee. You no mlonster. Mlaxon he no you. Sing he you in low jus' cove. You dummy. No know nothing. No know namee. No know where from. No talkee.
"Sing he jes' Mlaxon Hornee 'bout Nlumber Thlirteen. How he him for Linee. Makee Linee him. Sing he know what Mlaxon makee. Linee always good to old Sing. Sing he been in wallee. See where Thlirteen growing.
"Sing he you to Sing's that night. Hide you till sleep. Then he you in shop. Kickee over vlat. Leaves you. Nex' Mlaxon hulabaloo. Dance up and downee. Whoop! Thlirteen too soonee, but allight; him finee, perfec' man. Whoop!
"Anyway, you for Linee than one Mlaxon's fleaks," he concluded, toward Bulan.
"You are lying, you yellow devil," Horn.
The Chinaman his shrewd, upon the doctor.
"Sing lies?" he hissed. "Mabbeso Sing when he ask what for you Bludleen tleasure. But Lajah Saffir he come and it all while you Linee to the ship—Sing knows.
"Then you Mlaxon Thlirteen Linee. You then and you you lie. You again when Thlirteen Linee Oulang Outang—you say you Linee.
"Then you make with Lajah Saffir at long-house. Sing you all timee. You away from Dlyaks for your self. Then—"
"Stop!" Horn. "Stop! You yellow sneak, I put a in you."
"Both of you may stop now," said Professor Maxon authoritatively. "There have been here that cannot go unnoticed. Can you prove these Sing?" he asked to the Chinaman.
"I much by Bludleen's lascar. Bludleen tell him all 'bout Hornee. I some more by Dyak at long-house. He lots. Lajah Saffir tell him. It all tlue, Mlaxon."
"And it is true about this man—the thing that you have told us is true? He is not one of those in the laboratory?"
"No, Mlaxon. You no man like Blulan—you know lat, Mlaxon. You One, Two, Thlee—all up to Twelve. All fleaks. You ought to know, Mlaxon, you no can a Blulan."
During these Bulan had sat with his upon the Chinaman. There was a puzzled upon his wan, blood-streaked face. It was as though he were trying to from the temple of his a and memory that him each time that he he had it his grasp—the key to the that his origin.
The girl close him, one small hand in his. Hope and had the in her face. She the from her skirt, to the that the man's temple. Professor Maxon by, the that marked each deft, little movement of her strong, hands.
The of the past minutes had the old man into silence. It was difficult, almost impossible, for him to that Sing had spoken the truth and that this man was not one of the of his own creation; yet from the of his he prayed that it might prove the truth, for he saw that his loved the man with a love that would be by no or by no man-made law, or social custom.
The Chinaman's of Horn had come as an added to Professor Maxon, but it had its own supporting in the of it had in the professor's mind. Now he a hundred and with his that pointed toward the man's and villainy. He that he had been so as not to have his long before.
Virginia had at last succeeded in her and stopping the of blood. Bulan had to his feet. The girl supported him upon one side, and Sing upon the other. Professor Maxon approached the little group.
"I do not know what to make of all that Sing has told us," he said. "If you are not Number Thirteen who are you? Where did you come from? It very indeed—impossible, in fact. However, if you will who you are, I shall be to—ah—consider—ah—permitting you to pay to my daughter."
"I do not know who I am," Bulan. "I had always that I was only Number Thirteen, until Sing just spoke. Now I have a of for days upon the sea in an open boat—beyond that all is blank. I shall not my upon Virginia until I can prove my identity, and that my past is one which I can her without shame—until then I shall not see her."
"You shall do nothing of the kind," the girl. "You love me, and I you. My father to me to you while he still that you were a thing. Now that it is that you are a being, and a gentleman, he hesitates, but I do not. As I have told you before, it makes no to me what you are. You have told me that you love me. You have a love that is high, and noble, and self-sacrificing. More than that no girl needs to know. I am satisfied to be the wife of Bulan—if Bulan is satisfied to have the of the man who has so him."
An arm around the girl's and her close to the man she had with her and her love. The other hand was out toward Professor Maxon.
"Professor," said Bulan, "in the of what Sing has told us, in the of a myself and the of your experiments, is it not to that I am one of them? Some day I shall my past, until that time shall prove my I shall not ask for Virginia's hand, and in this she must concur, for the truth might some to our marriage. In the meantime let us be friends, professor, for we are by the same desire—the and of your daughter."
The old man and took Bulan's hand. The of and worry had left his face.
"I cannot believe," he said, "that you are other than a gentleman, and if, in my to protect Virginia, I have said to you I ask your forgiveness."
Bulan only with a pressure of the hand.
"And now," said the professor, "let us return to the long-house. I wish to have a in private with you, Horn," and he to his assistant, but the man had disappeared.
"Where is Doctor Horn?" the scientist, Sing.
"Hornee, him long time 'go," the Chinaman. "He all he likee."
Slowly the little party along the trail, and in less than a mile, to Virginia's surprise, came out upon the river and the long-house that she and Bulan had for in vain.
"And to think," she cried, "that all these days we have been almost of your voices. What of sent you to us today?"
"We had about up hope," her father, "when Sing to me that we cut across the that this from the one it upon the northeast, where we should other and from them some to your in case your had to you to the sea by another route. This likely in view of the that we were by of Muda Saffir that you were not in his possession, and that the river we were for would lead your most out of the of that Malay. You may our surprise, Virginia, when after for but a mile we you."
No sooner had the party entered the of the long-house than Professor Maxon for Horn, only to learn that he had up in a with he had to him on a "hunting expedition," having that the white girl had been and was being to the long-house.
The that he had done his best to the white man from so an act, as he was going directly into the country of the of the two men he had killed, and there was little that he would come out alive.
While they were still Horn's act, and at his intentions, a native on the out in astonishment, pointing the river. As they looked in the direction he all saw a graceful, white around a turn. At the were white American sailors, and in the two officers in the of the United States navy.
