"Then you have already killed Maxon?" he asked.

"No. He always was wounded by a savage enemy. I have beenhelping to make him well again. He has wronged me asmuch as he has you. If I do not wish to kill him, whyshould you? He did not mean to wrong us. He thoughtthat he was doing right. He is in trouble now and weshould stay and protect him."

"He lies," suddenly shouted another of the horde."He is not one of us. Kill him! Kill him! Kill Maxon,too, and then we shall be as other men, for it is thesemen who keep us as we are."

The fellow started forward toward Number Thirteen as hespoke, and moved by the impulse of imitation the otherscame on with him.

"I have spoken fairly to you," said Number Thirteen ina low voice. "If you cannot comprehend fairness hereis something you can comprehend."

Raising the bull whip above his head the young giantleaped among the advancing brutes and lay about himwith mighty strokes that put to shame the comparativelyfeeble blows with which von Horn had been wont to dealout punishment to the poor, damned creatures of thecourt of mystery.