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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
More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
pee ee alle aetna a a= arlene
Major Maenet, the Man of Nerve.
svay, else your landlady and her guests wouldn’t
; sent.” ful figure lea i
be slumbering so very soundly just at present.” | ful figure peitepleadinely before him.
Even as he spoke Rose recognized the little
weasel-faced Ouental who served Mrs, Carver
as cook, and her new-born hopes died. .
The Chinaman opened the ball door for their
passage, and Captain Junius dropped a few coin
into tis yellow claws before crossing the thresh-
old,
“Td rather slit your throat, Rats, but a bar-
gain is a_bargain, and no man living can say
that the High Muck-na-muck of Animas ever
went back on his word. Keep a still tongue in
your head, Jobn, or you may lose them both
When the racket gets wind!” _ :
Drawing a hand through bis arm, the outlaw
_led his captive out of tbe yard aud around the
corner, turning their backs on the more thickly-
settled portion of the town. .
“Don't think that we've got to hoof it all the
way, my dear young lady,” he said, with a light
Jaugh as the house faded into indistinctness be-
hind them, ‘Keene Bryer might kick if I
brought you to him in a damaged condition.
Anda I’ve bad too much work already not to get
the highest market price formy wares!”
8 made noreply. She moved like one in a
waking dream. dull, strange stupor seemed
to fall over her brain. Just then she could
hardly have made an effort to escape, had a way
opened for her.
“Do you know, little one, that you’re a mar-
vel?” persisted Captain Junius, as be more leis-
urely led his victim through the night. ‘I ex-
ted to have more bother than wou could
shake a stick at ina month of Sundays, while
here you are leading like a lamb to—I wish
might say altar, but Little Firefly would kick
up the devil’s delight at anything of that sort—
worse luck me!”
Shortly after this they reached a little grove
* of trees, from the shade of which several horses
and men came forth in answer to the low
whistle vented by the High Muck-a-muck, One
of the animals bore a side-saddle, plainly in-
tended for the reception of Rose Bryer.
“ Your foot, little lady—so!” said the outlaw
chief, as he deftly raised his captive to the
saddle. ‘‘ That’s heap better than walking, any
night, but don’t thank me too awfully; it will
all be charged for in the bill when rendered.”
Vaulting upon a big black horse, he placed
‘himself alongside that ridden by Rose, takin
her hitch-strap in his hand as they mov
along. '
Besides himself there were two outlaws, oue
of whom kept a few yards to the rear, while the
other acted as a sort of advance guard, though
there could be little to fear at that late hour of
the night, once the town was fairly cleared.
Captain Junius was in high spirits at the suc-
cess which had fallen upon his bold efforts, and
his smooth tongue rattled on almost unceasing-
ly, whenever the nature of the ground permitted
anything like ease of conversation.
e laughingly referred to the botch he and
his men had made of the attack on the train,
and gave Major Magnet full credit for the
adroit manner in which he had pulled the wool
- over tbeir eyes.
“Tf
{ had him as a lieutenant, there'd be
nothing too good for us in all the silver coun-
try,” be declared, boastingly.
his allusion to the gallant gentleman who
had served her so well, by no means tended to
lighten the heart of the poor child.
would he think when he called to see her in the
able to penetrate the
mystery of her disappearance? Would he think
she had run away, possibly with her brain un-
hinged by all she had undergone of late?
would he know that these terrible wretches
were at the bottom of it all?,
Glib though his. tongue, and seemingly so
fond of listening to its workings, even Captain
Juniuz soon wearied of receiving no answer
from his captive, and then they traveled stead-
ily, silently through the night and up to the
growing light in the far east,
When day bad fairly dawned, Captain Junius
culled a halt,
‘‘ We're safe enough from all pursuit, even if
the gallant major can unriddle your midnight
flitting, Miss Bryer,” he said as he aided Rose
to leave her saddle. ‘‘ And you're too precious
a commodity to be unnecessarily tried. A hot
cup of coffee will brighten those pretty eyes of
yours most amazingly!”
_The two Muck-a-mucks fell to work, speedily
kindling a fire and preparing a hot meal, rude
but. sufficient, Meat was ‘roasted over the
coals, and a small pot cf strong coffee was
made for their chief and his fair captive, the
two privates contenting themselves with water
and & finishing sup from their pocket-flasks,
Rose at first declined both fond and drink, but
Captain Junius persisted insisted might seem
a better word—and after the first taste,
both ate and drank freely, : she
is what you need the most, my dear, an
before you take saddle again T expect mand
than that you'll be earying our tongue in
singing my praises for insisting, V
are aon iP ig. We have quite—
He sprung to his feet with half-drawn pistol
at the sound of a swift footfall, only to fall
\
back with evident amazement as a lithe, grace-
r through the bushes to stand
“Not the old gentleman, but one of his imps,
daddy!” audaciously cried Little Firefly, flash-
ing a quick look toward Rose.
Though dressed so differently, and ina style
more betitting her sex, Rose instantly recognized
the girl, and forgetving all save that she was one
of her own sex, she uttered a choking cry us her
arms extended, to receive Little Fircily the next
instant. .
, «You can’t scold me after this, daddy!” with
tears dimming her bright eyes as ber rosy cheek
rested gently on the head that hid its pale face
in her bosom, ‘‘ The lady needs one of her own
sex, and if you send me off, Vil take ber with
me!”
Captain Junius bimself seemed touched by
the sobs of bis captive, for the hot words that
leaped to his lips were choked back witbout ut-
terance, and knowing that her trick was for-
given, Little Firefly devoted herself to soothing
tose,
She drew the maiden to one side, sitting down
beside ber, talking soft and low, assuring Rose
that no harm should come ber while she bad
wer to interpose, And then, when Rose
asked about her father, Little Firefly did all
that lay in her power tocomfort her. |
If she said more than the truth, it was
through no love of lying, with a kindly purpose
that went far toward blotting out the sin.
Shortly after the coming of Little Firefly, the
journey was resumed, one of the Muck-a-mucks
riding far enough in advance to spring any pos-
sible trap before it could involve those who fol-
lowed. Although he had little dread of any
such, Captain Junius valued his present prize
far too highly to ruu even that remote risk
witbout guarding against it as far as Jay in his
wer.
por ose was Little Firefly’s companion for the
rest of the journey, and under the gay, spirited,
yet sympathizing talk of the g rl, her own
spirits rose many degreos and brougbt with it
something of her native courage and strength
of nerve. . .
It was well that this was so, for a terrible
shock awaited the poor girl when that long,
weary journey came toanend. For when they
were fairly within the secluded valley where the
uck-a-mucks of Animas were then quartered,
and she begged to be taken at once to her dear
father, Captain Junius put on an air of amaze-
ment as he cried: :
“Your father? Did you really expect to find
him_here, Miss Bryer?”
“You said—God in Heaven!” lifting her eyes
and her rigidly interlocked hands upward as
the words broke from her lips: ‘Strike this
foul liar dead, I beseech Thee!” .
Bold, evil man though he was, Captain Junius
shrunk back from that Passionate outburst,
awed and disconcerted. But when that ficti-
tious strength suddenly failed the poor girl, and
she fell face downward on the bare ground, his
natural audacity returned, and catching ber up
in his arms he bore her into the Jittle hut where
bis daugbter stood,
And when Little Firefly had restored Rose to
consciousness, he spoke coldly:
“Te LT told you tbat, Rose Bryer, I’ll make m
words good.’ I swear that Keene Bryer shall
come here to share your captivity!”
. GHAPTER XXIII.
UNEXPECTED ASSISTANCE, oO ,
‘‘ How much can he prove? Tow willitend?”
Over and over those two questions were re-.
volved in the busy brain of the young man who
had so recently stood high in the estimation of
his fellow-citizens, but who was now lying in a
prison cell, under charges so serious that the
might well bring him to a shameful deat
at the end of a rope—so ordered by Judge
Lynch, if not by an official with a more legal
le
itle, .
“That'd be worse even than his fingers, curse
him!” .
About his throat were the marks still—fin-
gers painted in dull colors—and bitter were his
curses against the man who had branded him
us. . :
It was a dark night, but Creed Ashmole
thought not of sleep, though his moments of
mental rest had been few and far between since
the word of Major Magnet sent him there, to
await the punishment befitting his crimes,
_Through the heavily-barred window in one
side of his cell, he caught the twinkle of tiny
They seemed
ey seemed so much further away than when
he bad gazed up at them last—when he was a
free man!
‘“* How much did he hear that night? Did he
suspect the part [ was playing? Could he have
stolen back and listened to us talking? If I
only knew could onl, avi
only knew, ly see how heavily he
He sprung to his feet, and paced feverishly
back and forth; three steps one way, three th
other, He could not sit’ still, more than he
could sleep, It wasas though the spirit of a |
wolf or hyena had taken the place of bis soul.
If I had only known as much then—when
be knelt over me, when be tried to restore me
to my senses, that I might tell him what had
become of Rose! If I had only known what was.
to be!”
His right hand clinched, and went through the
motions of stabbing.
“Fool! Besotted fool that I did not kilr
him then and there, as I felt tempted! The
deed would have been laid to the Muck-a-mucks,,
No person could even have suspected me, much
death!”
He stopped short in hie pantherish strides,’
staring up at the iron-crossed window, He
made a leap and caught the bars in bis hands,
drawing his face upward until he could gaze.
forth, bis bloodshot eyes roving wildly over-
the ground as far as the thick wall would
permit. And the groan that broke from his.
parcbed lips, as he dropped to tbe floor, once-
more turned into a vicious curse against his
faitbless allies.
“ What are their oaths worth now? Why
don’t he come witb his men and set me freer.
Because—because he'd rather keep my share
with his own!” .
Creed Ashmole flung himself down on the nar-.
row cot, hiding his tace on his folded arms, shiver-
ing, trembling like one with an ague chill, for
the thousandth time since bis incarceration
abandoning al! hope, feeling that a shameful
death or even more bitter enslavement for life
awaited him. .
He was already paying the terrible penalty of
crime, and though be might live a prisoner,
a convict, until his bair turned white as snow,,
he would never experience more terrible hours
than those be lived through while bis fate hung
in the balance. .
And yet it could not be said that be repented.
His grief was all for bimself, not for his sins,
And all he asked was restored liberty so that
he could be bitterly avenged on his enemies—on
bis pretended friends who failed him in this, bis.
hour of need.
** What is an oath to bim?” he moaned, turn-
ing on his back and fixing bis feverish gaze om
those tiny sparks through the window, ‘‘ What
does he care how I suffer, just so be reaps the
full benefit of my busy plotting? Yet—come, .
“you devil!” leaping to his feet and lifting his
tigbtly clinched hands above his head in tierce
menace, ‘Come and set me free, or I'll telt
all—I'll give you and yours away to that bu-
man bloodhound! Tl yield up the secret he is
so greedy for! Come, you cur!
and set me free!” .
This was one of the wildest fits that had seized :
n him since he was committed to jail to.
stand trial on the charges preferred by Major
Magnet, and it was the first time he had even
to himself hinted that he would avow his con-
nection with Captain Junius ot the Muck-a-
mucks. Ever up to then be bad stubbornly
maintained his complete ignorance of the evi}
gang, his complete innocence of the evil deeds.
attributed tobim.
ant of sleep, lack of rest: these forces were
at work, and hade fair to unsettle his brain un-
less a change came right speedily,
That change was nearer far than Creed Ash-
mole dared hope for, :
Even as those fierce threats came hissing hot
over his lips, a dark figure was gazing up as
though to make sure of his window, Then, with
a deft toss, a couple of pebbles shot upward, one
to enter and fall at the feet of the prisoner, the
other to clink against the iron bar and drep
back to its sender.
Creed Ashmole started, his eyes dilated, bis.
nostrils quivering, his tall form crouching and
shivering like a Jeaf as he listened and watched
for what was to follow. Or—was it only part
of his growing insanity? Was it a lie like—
With a scund rattling in bis throat at this
fearful doubt, Creed Asbmole sprung upward
and grasped the iron bars, lifting his face and
trying to crowd it through the narrow openings:
to gain a wider scope for his fevered glare,
And as he did so, a human face suddenly rose
before him, with so httle space between that
their breath fairly mingled!
‘“* Stiddy, pardner!” came in husky notes from
that apparition as the prisoner gasped aloud with
mingled surprise and joy. “Ef you kick upa
bobbery big ’nough fer to roust out the guards,
it’s good-by you an’ skin out mie !”
eye me—to set me free?” hoersely panted
Ashmole, his bodily powers almost failing bim
as he caught a faint gleam of hope, :
‘* Mebbe yes, an’ mebbe otherwise. Ef you're
the sort o’ crook Major Magnet says ycu be,
why—
“Pm not—I’'m innocent of all that be charges
me with!” feverishly declared Ashmole, his brain
whirling until he could only make out a dull blur
where a friendly face had but a moment before
existed,
‘Then good-by, John!” surlily growled the
fellow on the outside, ‘*’Twasn’t nigh so much
to set you free as to score a grudge agin’ that
duroed sport as Icome up hyar. Ef you was
what be says—” .
_ ‘‘Lam-—I am all that, and more too!” buskily
interrupted Ashmole, his face sinking lower by
degrees as his strength failed him, .
rought me to the bar to answer for bis.;
Come—come-
won eee