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Full Title
Major Magnet, the Man of Nerve; or, The Muck-a-Mucks of Animas. A Romance of the Silver Range / by Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
Author
Badger, Jos. E. (Joseph Edward), 1848-1909 .
Date Added
9 January 2014
Format
Journal
Language
English
Publish Date
1889-03-06
Publisher
New York : Beadle and Adams
Series
Beadle's New York Dime Library > v. XLII, no. 541
Source
Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title
Muck-a-Mucks of Animas. Beadle's New York Dime Library, v. XLII, no. 541, March 6, 1889.
Topic
Dime novels > Specimens.
About
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Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
”
a“
Major Magnet, the Man of Nerve.
on
5
She sat still, because she had no power left
with which to spring to her feet and into the
aisle, She did not shriek again, through lack of
breath rather than from excess of courage, as
Major Magnet fancied. *
She was a woman, with all the average wo-
man’s dread of firearms, violence, and all such
disagreeables. .
She was so terribly frightened that she hardly
knew it when Creed Ashmole left his seat to
slip into the one by her side, and though a slight
skiver ran through her frame as his arm stole
about her waist, clasping her firmly, tenderly,
protectingly, she seemed unconscious of that
public embrace.
“Don’t scream—don’t be scared, my darling!”
hurriedly whispered the young man, his tones
so shaken as to be hardly articulate. ‘I'll
guard you with my life! IT’ be shot to little
bits before a single hair of your head shall be in-
jured!”
If Rose Bryer heard him, she gave no sign.
She sat rigidly erect, her fair fave pale as that
of a corpse, her great eyes passing from one ob-
ject to another with a searching yet unseeing
AZe,
& For the time being it seemed as though her
brain was paralyzed, so far as the power of
thought was concerned,
Creed Ashmole himself showed far more agi-
tation than did his fair young charge, and of
the two he seemed far less steady nerved.
His color came and went by fits and starts,
His eyes flashed back and forth, not unlike
those of a wild animal which finds itself cor-
nered and cut off from all escape unless by des-
perately ‘breaking through the closely drawn
ranks of its evemies. His free hand visibly
trembled, his breath came short and quick,
Then the grotesquely disguised Muck-a-mucks
showed themselves at either end of the coach,
pistol in hand and warning words on lips, cute
ting off all escape without running the gantlet
of their fire.
“Be brave, my darling!” huskily whispered
Ashmole, but without turning toward his com-
panion, his glowing eyes fixed on the enemy,
now in front, now at the rear door, ‘ll pro-
tect you at any cost! Those devils can’t harm
you while—”
The arm about her waist contracted so sharp-
ly, so fiercely, that it forced a gasp of pain from
her colorless lips, but Creed Ashmole made no
apology, if, indeed, he noticed this, though he
whispered in hot haste:
** Rose, my precious! I fear for you! Fear
worse than mere robbery threatens! ‘Will you
trust me? Is your faith strong enough for
that?”
If any reply came from those pallid lips, the
words were drowned by the coarse voice of the
Muck-a-muck repeating his warning against any
attempt at escape or refractory conduct.
. ‘“There’s one chance, dearest,” added Ash-
mole, as he swiftly pulled the vail further over
her face, ‘They may not have recognized you
as yet, and if we can pass the door— We must
end shall!”
It was then that he sprung to his feet, pro-
ducing his well-filled wallet, and tossing it toward
the masked outlaw guarding the rear end of the
coach, uttering the words which have already
found a record.
He caught the maiden up in his strong arms,
as though he felt her weight no more than he
might that of aninfant. He sprung down the
aisle, and past the greedy rascal, who was on
his knees, with head and shoulders thrust under
the seats, in search of the pocketbook. Past
him and through the door, to pause but for a
single breath on the platform, before leaping
with his sbivering burden out into the gloom,
A. faint cry parted the lips of Rose Bryer, as
that blind leap was taken, and the shock
seemed to break the curious spell which had
fallen upon her with the first coming of the
train-robbers.
‘‘Don’t fear—for your life, don’t cry out!”
hurriedly panted Creed Asbmole, as he steadied
himself with some difficulty. ‘* it was the only
way—the only hope, 1t would mean worse than
death, were those devils to fasten their clutches
upon you, my precious!”
The maiden sbivered and shrunk from that
term of endearment, the first which had not
passed unnoticed.
** Let me down—I can walk,” she said, with a
sudden exertion which brought her feet to the
ground,
At that moment a sharp explosion came from
close beside them, and the ruddy glare of burn-
ing powder briefly lighted up their features,
With a low, fierce ejaculation, Creed Ash-
mole lifted the maiden in his arms, and sprung
forward, though he knew that they had been
seen by the outlaws, and that escape thus bur-
dened was almost impossible, should any decided
effort be made tocheck it,
‘*Hold on, thar—you!” came a hoarse voice
from the gloom, ‘Show your pass, or— Took
to the petticoats, pard; he’s my meat!”
‘* Run, Rose!” hoarsely cried Ashmole, relin-
quisbing his grasp in order to meet that savage
assault. ‘* Tl find you as soon—” .
** An’ I’ve found you a’ready, durn ye!” growl-
od the Much-a-muck, as he leaped straight at the
and falling to
throat of the young man, closin|
e j bid fair to prove a
the ground together in what
death-struggle.
In relinquishing bis grasp, Ashmole pushed
Rose Bryer almost into the arms of the sec-
ond outlaw, whose coarse laugh rung out in
iumph.
“ Petticoat goes, an’I know who's got the
tenderest morsel, pard! Come to me arms,
pritty, an’ nobody sha’n't—hold on, durn ye!”
is fingers missed her arm, but closed on a
portion of her linen ulster as the maiden shrunk
away. Even then he might have secured his
coveted prize, only for his foot turning on a
loose stone, tangling his legs all up and pitching
him forward upon his face, almost overthrow-
ing the girl as he fell.
ith a panting cry Rose turned and darted
away through the gloom, knowing nothing of
what lay before her, urged on by sudden horror
of falling alive into the clutches of those un-
couth ruffians,
Spluttering oaths and threats commingled
the clumsy rascal regained his feet and plunged
forward in angry chase, though already the
darkness bad hidden the figure of his coveted
prize from bis eyes.
With her skirts lifted to clear the obstacles
which might prove fatal to her hopes of escape,
Rose Bryer fled blindly, only conscious just
then of one aim: to leave the train and its terri-
fying captors as far bebind as possible while her
strength lasted,
Although they had passed without recogni-
tion at the time, those hurried fears of Creed
Ashmole kept ringing in her ears now, until she
would almost have chosen death before falling
into the clutches of the train robbers,
As already mentioned, the train had passed
around the curve and cleared the deep cut be-
fore coming to a halt at the red danger signal
swung by the High Muck-a-muck of Animas,
he track ran on in a straight line for a con-
siderable distance. On one side of the line the
ground lay comparatively level, but on the
other, which was the side to which Cr Ash-
mole had leaped with his fair burden, there was
but a little space of level, then rising into
broken ground, here a point, there a gully or
defile, yonder a pitch of scrubby trees and
stunted bushes.
It was difficult. ground to cover even with the
aid of daylight, just at this point, but doubly so
when theeyes were of little aid to headlong
flight. . The rocks were thickly strewn over the
hillside, and miniature pitfalls abounded,
Though her heavy-footed pursuer almost im-
mediately stumbled into one of these, pitching
upon his masked face again with many a vicious
oath and savage threat, Rose Bryer seemed
guided by a good angel, for sbe neither tripped
nor stumbled, fleeing rapidly when the natural
difficulties are taken into consideration, though
to her own excited imagination her feet seemed
shod with lead.
“Wakeup thar, durn ye!” shouted the out-
law, savagely. ‘* The critter "ll git clean off an’
then the boss—cut her off, some o’ ye!”
With terrifying distinctness the maiden
caught these words, and believing that other
enemies must be in her path, she turned abrupt-
ly to her mght, choking back a sob of despair as
she felt her bodily powers beginning to fail
et
+
her,
In the darkness she struck against a high rock.
Turning sharply aside, she came in contact with
another. She staggered blindly, fearing lest
she had unwittingly run intoa trap from whence
there was no exit, save by retracing her steps,
And that meant going direct into the hands of
the train-robbers, for she could hear heavy foot-
steps and harsk voices rapidly drawing nearer,
She staggered once more, a shoulder brushing
the perpendicular rock, but hope hardly began
to dawn before despair blackened the prospect
again. The two walls of rock came together,
barring her path. She was in a narrow pocket
and could go no further,
With a stifled moan the poor girl sunk into a
limp, nerveless heap, bowing her head and cov-
ing her face with her hands,
Not until that moment did she realize how
killing had been her efforts to escape, how utter-
ly that desperate struggle against odds had ex-
hausted ber bodil
Her breath
ily powers,
Her brain tbrobbed heavily.
seemed to scorch her throat as it came in short,
painful gasps, A cruel hand seemed tightening
about her heart, slowly but surely suffocating
er.
‘*She was headed this way when I see’d her
last,” uttered a coarse, disagreeable voice, so
close that the poor fugitive tried to hold her
breath and calm the heavy throbbings of her
heart, lest the sound betray her presénce to those
dreaded enemies.
‘How the devil did you let her slip you?”
Rose gave a faint gasp and lifted her head,
staring bewilderingly through the gloom, for
that voice—surely it was the voice of Creed Ash-
mole, the one to whose care her father bad in-
trusted her, the man who bad risked his life in
‘order to preserve her from falling into the hands
of the train-robbers?
In her confused agitation she ‘missed the an-
swer, if any was given, but shecaught each note
of the next speech—how marvelously like unto
the voice of Creed Ashmole! _
‘Scatter and search! Get lights, some of you.
We've got to find her, if it takes a month—got
to, you bear? Fiends and furies!” with vicious
rage at the reflection, ‘* After so much plotting
—to lose the richest prize of all, through your
infernal clumsiness!”
There came the sound of a heavy blow,a
smothered cry and cursecombined, a scrambling
fall over some obstacle. Shudderingly the poor
gir] bowed her head, and covered her ears tight-
ly with ber trembling hands.
Dimly ske heard other sounds, but these quick-
ly died away as if the villains were turning their
attention to other quarters, believing her still in
flight, and_ fearing to delay lest she escape them
wholly.
Then her overtasked powers gave way entire-
ly, and sbe lay like one bereft of life for a space
—hbow long she never knew. nd when ber
senses returned, she rose to her feet and blindly
staggered out of the pocket—to fall helplessly
into strong hands the next moment,
CHAPTER VI.
LITTLE FIREFLY. :
A suRigExK of terror and despair broke from
her lips, only to be cut short by the heavy hand
of her captor. The broad palm closed her lips
and almost took away her breath, though no
more violence was u than could well be
avoided under the circumstances,
A strong arm was about ber waist, holding
her firmly to a broad bosom, and the hot breath
of her captor fanned her cheek as he said with a
coarse, grim chuckle:
“Thought you'd got it down mighty fine,
didn’t ye, pritty? Thought you’d cram my
peepers so full o’ dust they wouldn’t be room fer
seein’ even your bigness when you stole out 0’
your hold—eh?”
** Merey—don’t kill—”
“Good Lawd! who's thinkin’ o’ killin’ any-
body?” spluttered the outlaw, in tones of undis-
guised amazement, though his grip did not re-
lax, beyond bolding bis palm less tightly over
her lips. ‘‘Not me, an’ not you, fer a mighty ™
sight o’ sureness! They’s a beap too muc
wealth wrapped up into that dainty pelt o”
yourn fer any rough handlin’ afore the right
strings is pulled an’—but this ain’t business,
ma’am, an’ ef you'll ’scuse the liberty, why—”
With a deft movement he lifted the maiden
in his strong arms and moved away from the
pocket, speaking again as soon as the way grew
less difficult:
‘Ef ye caia’t take it easy, ma’am, take it as
easy asyekin! ’Tain’t in me todo ye any great
hurt, though I did git a mouthful o locse teeth
jest a bit ago fer lettin’ of ye take so lonza
But Lain’t layin’ that up aginst you !”
with an empbasis on the pronoun that prom-
ised less for the one who had dealt that angry
Wy,
*“* Let me down, I can walk, now,” said Rose,
steadying her voice by a painful effort, yet not
a little reassured by the words of her captor, so
different from what she bad been led to expect.
‘Waal, ef youd rutber,” grunted the Muck-a-
muck, pausing to lower his burden until her
feet touched the earth once more, ‘* But, mine
ye,” with sudden suspicion in his tones as bis
fingers closed sharply on her arm: ‘‘ef you try
to trick me ag’in like you did fu’st off, they’ll be
heap wu’ss then I've give ye so fur.”
“What is tobe my fate? Why are you per-
secuting me so bitterly?” . ,
* Looky, ma’am,” and the outlaw turned his
captive until they stood face to face uncer the
dim starlight, now seeming brighter as tho moon
gave tokens of rising over the hills to the enst.
“T want to treat you white, but they’s sech a
thing as totiu’ too limber a clapper, an’ I'm lik- *
n’ the safest side heap the best. So—ax me no
questions an’ I'll tell you fewer lies, . You
savey?” e
For one breath the poor girl felt tempted to
try and escape, to wrest her arm free from that
gras and dash away through the night to avoid
—what
That was the worst of it all! If she could
only know what fate these evil beings held in
store for her, she felt that she could face it more
courageously. It was the very vagueness of her
fears that made them so terrible. .
The eyes which shone through the twin aper-
tures in that hideous mask seemed to read her
thoughts, for the grip tightened and the outlaw
forced her on over the rough ground, saying
ne
o
arsbly :
‘* Wimmen is the devil, an’ you're fuller then
the most! The sooner I git shet 0’ ye the easier
Tl pump wind—taat’s what!”
Realizing the uselessness of trying to break
away from that firm grip, Rose Bryer submitted
without a ‘murmur, bravely striving to keep
pace with the outlaw, though she tripped and
stumbled at almost every step, the way was 80
difficult at first, But presently this grew more
practicable, The steep slope was left bebind
them and the way grew more level, though they
were still in plain view of the lighted cars, °
Only for a little while, Her captor turned
abruptly to the right and then vzered gradually
around until the point of rocks cut off the view,,