pressing close behind him. Along the denser shadows the three
crept to a position in the rear of the natives. The girl's guards had
stepped forward with the others to join in the discussion that followed
the dying statement of the murdered warrior, leaving her upon the outer
fringe of the crowd.

For an instant a sudden hope of escape sprang to Virginia Maxon's
mind--there was none between her and the jungle through which they had
just passed. Though unknown dangers lurked in the black and uncanny
depths of the dismal forest, would not death in any form be far
preferable to the hideous fate which awaited her in the person of the
bestial Malay pirate?

She had turned to take the first step toward freedom when three figures
emerged from the wall of darkness behind her. She saw the war-caps,
shields, and war-coats, and her heart sank. Here were others of the
rajah's party--stragglers who had come just in time to thwart her
plans. How large these men were--she never had seen a native of such
giant proportions; and now they had come quite close to her, and as the
foremost stooped to speak to her she shrank back in fear. Then, to her
surprise, she heard in whispered English; "Come quietly, while they are
not looking."

She thought the voice familiar, but could not place it, though her
heart whispered that it might belong to the young stranger of her
dreams. He reached out and took her hand and together they turned and
walked quickly toward the jungle, followed by the two who had
accompanied him.

Scarcely had they covered half the distance before one of the Dyaks
whose duty it had been to guard the girl discovered that she was gone.
With a cry he alarmed his fellows, and in another instant a sharp pair
of eyes caught the movement of the four who had now broken into a run.

With savage shouts the entire force of head hunters sprang in pursuit.
Bulan lifted Virginia in his arms and dashed on ahead of Number Twelve
and Number Three. A shower of poisoned darts blown from half a hundred
sumpitans fell about them, and then Muda Saffir called to his warriors
to cease using their deadly blow-pipes lest they kill the girl.

Into the jungle dashed the four while close behind them came the
howling pack of enraged savages. Now one closed upon Number Three only
to fall back dead with a broken neck as the giant fingers released
their hold upon him. A parang swung close to Number Twelve, but his
own, which he had now lear