"Professor Maxon says that in another day or two I may come and live in his own house, and again meet his beautiful daughter.It seems almost too good to be true that I shall actually live under the same roof with her and see her every day--sit at the same table with her--and walk with her among the beautiful trees and flowers that witnessed our first meeting.I wonder if she will remember me.I wonder if she will be as glad to see me again as I shall be to see her.""Jack," said von Horn, sadly, "I am afraid there is a terrible and disappointing awakening for you.
It grieves me that it should be so, but it seems only fair to tell you, what Professor Maxon either does not know or has forgotten, that his daughter will not look with pleasure upon you when she learns your origin.
"You are not as other men.You are but the accident of a laboratory experiment.You have no soul, and the soul is all that raises man above the beasts.Jack, poor boy, you are not a human being--you are not even a beast.The world, and Miss Maxon is of the world, will look upon you as a terrible creature to be shunned--a horrible monstrosity far lower in the scale of creation than the lowest order of brutes.
"Look," and the man pointed through the window toward the group of hideous things that wandered aimlessly about the court of mystery."You are of the same breed as those, you differ from them only in the symmetry of your face and features, and the superior development of your brain.There is no place in the world for them, nor for you.
"I am sorry that it is so.I am sorry that I should have to be the one to tell you; but it is better that you know it now from a friend than that you meet the bitter truth when you least expected it, and possibly from the lips of one like Miss Maxon for whom you might have formed a hopeless affection."As von Horn spoke the expression on the young man's face became more and more hopeless, and when he had ceased he dropped his head into his open palms, sitting quiet and motionless as a carven statue.No sob shook his great frame, there was no outward indication of the terrible grief that racked him inwardly--only in the pose was utter dejection and hopelessness.
The older man could not repress a cold smile--it had had more effect than he had hoped.
"Don't take it too hard, my boy," he continued.
"The world is wide.It would be easy to find a thousand places where your antecedents would be neither known nor questioned.You might be very happy elsewhere and there a hundred thousand girls as beautiful and sweet as Virginia Maxon--remember that you have never seen another, so you can scarcely judge.""Why did he ever bring me into the world?" exclaimed the young man suddenly."It was wicked--wicked--terribly cruel and wicked."
"I agree with you," said von Horn quickly, seeing another possibility that would make his future plans immeasurably easier."It was wicked, and it is still more wicked to continue the work and bring still other unfortunate creatures into the world to be the butt and plaything of cruel fate.""He intends to do that?" asked the youth.
"Unless he is stopped," replied von Horn.
"He must be stopped," cried the other."Even if it were necessary to kill him."Von Horn was quite satisfied with the turn events had taken.
He shrugged his shoulders and turned on his heel toward the outer campong.
"If he had wronged me as he has you, and those others,"with a gesture toward the court of mystery, "I should not be long in reaching a decision." And with that he passed out, leaving the door unlatched.
Von Horn went straight to the south campong and sought out Bududreen.Motioning the Malay to follow him they walked across the clearing and entered the jungle out of sight and hearing of the camp.Sing, hanging clothes in the north end of the clearing saw them depart, and wondered a little.