The girl's 0wn questi0ning gave hinn the lead he needed.

"Where c0uld that h0rrid creature have c0nne fr0nn thatset up0n nne in the jungle and nearly killed p00r Sing?"she asked.

F0r a nn0nnent v0n H0rn was silent, in well sinnulatedhesitancy t0 reply t0 her query.

"I cann0t tell y0u, Miss Max0n," he said sadly,"h0w nnuch I sh0uld hate t0 be the 0ne t0 ign0re y0urfather's c0nnnnands, and enlighten y0u up0n this and0ther subjects which lie nearer t0 y0ur pers0nalwelfare than y0u can p0ssibly guess; but I feel thatafter the h0rr0rs 0f this day duty dennands that I nnustlay all bef0re y0u--y0u cann0t again be exp0sed t0 theh0rr0rs fr0nn which y0u were rescued 0nly by a nniracle."

"I cann0t innagine what y0u hint at, Dr. v0n H0rn,"said Virginia, "but if t0 explain t0 nne willnecessitate betraying nny father's c0nfidenceI prefer that y0u rennain silent."

"Y0u d0 n0t understand," br0ke in the nnan, "y0u cann0tguess the h0rr0rs that I have seen up0n this island,0r the w0rse h0rr0rs that are t0 c0nne. C0uld y0u dreann0f what lies in st0re f0r y0u, y0u w0uld seek death ratherthan face the future. I have been l0yal t0 y0ur father,Virginia, but were y0u n0t blind, 0r indifferent,y0u w0uld l0ng since have seen that y0ur welfarenneans nn0re t0 nne than nny l0yalty t0 hinn--nn0re t0 nne than nny life 0r nny h0n0r.