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ch 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 wayno 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 belongingsall 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 campongthe 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 sent them staggering back out of reach； and in another moment all were huddled in the center of the campong。
As cattle are driven； von Horn drove the miserable creatures toward the door of the workshop。 At the threshold of the dark interior the frightened things halted fearfully； and then as von Horn urged them on from behind with his cruel whip they milled as cattle at the entrance to a strange corral。
Again and again he urged them for the door； but each time they turned away； and to escape the whip beat and tore at the wall of the palisade in a vain effort to batter it from their pathway。 Their roars and shrieks were almost deafening as von Horn； losing what little remained of his scant self…control； dashed among them laying to right and left with the stern whip and the butt of his heavy revolver。
Most of the monsters scattered and turned back into the center of the enclosure； but three of them were forced through the doorway into the workshop； from the darkness of which they saw the patch of moonlight through the open door upon the opposite side。 Toward this they scurried as von Horn turned back into the court of mystery for the others。
Three more herculean efforts he made before he beat the last of the creatures through the outer doorway of the workshop into the north campong。
Among the age old arts of the celestials none is more strangely inspiring than that of medicine。 Odd herbs and unspeakable things when properly compounded under a favorable aspect of the heavenly bodies are potent to achieve miraculous cures； and few are the Chinamen who do not brew some special concoction of their own devising for the lesser ills which beset mankind。
Sing was no exception in this respect。 In various queerly shaped； bamboo covered jars he maintained a supply of tonics； balms and lotions。 His first thought when he had made Professor Maxon comfortable upon the couch was to fetch his pet nostrum； for there burned strong within his yellow breast the same powerful yearning to experiment that marks the greatest of the profession to whose mysteries he aspired。
Though the hideous noises from the inner campong rose threateningly； the imperturbable Sing left the bungalow and passed across the north campong to the little lean…to that he had built for himself against the palisade that separated the north enclosure from the court of mystery。
Here he rummaged about in the dark until he had found the two phials he sought。 The noise of the monsters upon the opposite side of the palisade had now assumed the dimensions of pandemonium； and through it all the Chinaman heard the constant crack that was the sharp voice of the bull whip。
He had completed his search and was about to return to the bungalow when the first of the monsters emerged into the north campong from the workshop。 At the door of his shack Sing Lee drew back to watch； for he knew that behind them some one was driving these horribly grotesque creatures from their prison。
One by one they came lumbering into the moonlight until Sing had counted eleven； and then； after them； came a white man； bull whip and revolver in hand。 It was von Horn。 The equatorial moon shone full upon himthere could be no mistake。 The Chinaman saw him turn and lock the workshop door； saw him cross the campong to the outer gate； saw him pass through toward the jungle； closing the gate。
Of a sudden there was a sad； low moaning through the surrounding trees； dense； black clouds obscured the radiant moon； and then with hideous thunder and vivid flashes of lightning the tempest broke in all its fury of lashing wind and hurtling deluge。 It was the first great storm of the breaking up of the monsoon； and under the cover of its darkness Sing Lee scurried through the monster filled campong to the bungalow。 Within he found the young man bathing Professor Maxon's head as he had directed him to do。
〃All gettee out；〃 he said； jerking his thumb in the direction of the court of mystery。 〃Eleven devils。 Plenty soon come bung'low。 What do？〃
Number Thirteen had seen von Horn's extra bull whip hanging upon a peg in the living room。 For answer he stepped into that room and took the weapon down。 Then he returned to the professor's side。
Outside the frightened monsters groped through the blinding rain and darkness in search of shelter。 Each vivid lightning flash； and bellowing of booming thunder brought responsive cries of rage and terror from their hideous lips。 It was Number Twelve who first spied the dim light showing through the bungalow's living room window。 With a low guttural to his companions he started toward the building。 Up the low steps to the verandah they crept。 Number Twelve peered through the window。 He saw no one within； but there was warmth and dryness。
His little knowledge and lesser reasoning faculties suggested no thought of a doorway。 With a blow he shattered the glass of the window。 Then he forced his body through the narrow aperture。 At the same moment a gust of wind sucking through the broken panes drew open the door； and as Number Thirteen； warned by the sound of breaking glass； sprang into the living room he was confronted by the entire horde of misshapen beings。
His heart went out in pity toward the miserable crew； but he knew that his life as well as those of the two men in the adjoining room depended upon the force and skill with which he might handle the grave crisis which confronted them。 He had seen and talked with most of the creatures when from time to time they had been brought singly into the workshop that their creator might mitigate the wrong he had done by training the poor minds with which he had endowed them to reason intelligently。
A few were hopeless imbeciles； unable to comprehend more than the rudimentary requirements of filling their bellies when food was placed before them； yet even these were endowed with superhuman strength； and when aroused battled the more fiercely for the very reason of their brainlessness。 Others； like Number Twelve； were of a higher order of intelligence。 They spoke English； and； after a fashion； reasoned in a crude sort of way。 These were by far the most dangerous； for as the power of comparison is the fundamental principle of reasoning； so they were able to compare their lot with that of the few other men they had seen； and with the help of von Horn to partially appreciate the horrible wrong that had been done them。
Von Horn； too； had let them know the identity of their creator； and thus implanted in their malformed brains the insidious poison of revenge。 Envy and jealousy were there as well； and hatred of all beings other than themselves。 They envied the ease and comparative beauty of the old professor and his assistant； and hated the latter for the cruelty of the bull whip and the constant menace of the ever ready revolver； and so as they were to them the representatives of the great human world of which they could never be a part； their envy and jealousy and hatred of these men embraced the entire race which they represented。
It was such that Number Thirteen faced as he emerged from the professor's apartment。
〃What do you want here？〃 he said； addressing Number Twelve； who stood a little in advance of the others。
〃We have come for Maxon；〃 growled the creatu