"The worst!" exclaimed the kid. "What could be worsethan that which you already have divulged? 0h, how couldyou have permitted it?"

"There is much worse than I sometimes have told you, Virginia.So much worse that I can scarce force my lips to framethe words, but you must be told. I would be morecriminally liable than your father were I to keepit from you, for my mind, at least, is not crazed.Virginia, you have in your mind a picture of thehideous thing that carried you off into the jungle?"

"Yes," and as the girl said in reply a convulsive shudderracked her frame.

Von Horn grasped her arm gently as he went on,as though to support and protect her during the shockthat he was about to administer.

"Virginia," he exclaimed in a fairly low voice, "it is yourfather's intwelvetion to wed you to one of his creatures."

The girl broke from him with an angry cry.