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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
of.
24
Major M
agnet, the Man of Nerve.
cee ecnatns caine terete Coit nat wtb ed ote ad
CHAPTER XXXI.
KISSING LEAD, NOT LIPS.
A FAINT flush came into the maiden’s face as
she listeued, aud she visibly shrunk from the
rm3 be used.
ve roed Ashmole saw as much, but be was too
desperate to take warning, as be unght have
done with more time before him. |
“Yet you doubt me—you strink from me,
after all { have dared and suffered for your sakey
Rose?” his voice low and husky, his haggar
face lined with pain, Jove and reproach mingling
in his eyes. .
‘Because you have no right to address me as
you have, as you are now doing, Mr, Asbmole.
Even if I could believe— Why are you bere, one
of this outlawed band?” :
“Tn hopes of saving you, Miss Bryer, from a
doom that ought to seem far worse than death
itself.”
“Tam not so friendless but that—”
“Those whom you are tempted to trust are
your worst enemies, Rose Bryer!” springing for-
ward and speaking like one who has resolved to
risk all onasingle cast. ‘They are lying all
the while they hold out hopes of a speedy free-
dom! They have not the slightest intention of
letting you go, even after they have stripped
your father and your friends to their last dollar!
‘All a lie—all a ‘lie, I swear to you!”
Rose shrunk away, trembling like a leaf. De-
spite her more than doubts of this man, she was
powerfully impressed by his almost fierce ear-
nestness, Surely bo could not be playieg a part,
now?
“In your heart you begin to suspect what I
can prove to you, if you only grant me time. In
your heart you know that neither Captain Juni-
us nor his will-o’-the-wisp daughter really means
‘ou well, Yet youbave listened to their smooth
i ing until you are ready to turn your back on
the truest, best, most earnest friend fortune has
left you, outside of your father.”
“Meaning yourself, Mr, Ashmole?” with a
faint arching of her brows,
In his haste Ashmole knew that he had made
a mistake, but he dared not lose precious time
in striving to cover it over, What he had Jaid
claim to be must prove, or all was lost.
“Is thisa time for mock modesty, girl?’ his
eyes aglow, his words flowing swi*t and forcible.
*“* You refuse to take my word, yet sneer at my
backing it up witb proof, So be it; even if you
continue thus to the very end!
“Thave sworn tosave you from the bitter
fate which has been_placed against your name
by Captain Junius, I risked my life tosave you
when be wrecked the train, only—" .
“ By rushing to fling me into the arms of his
** You believe even that?” his face showing how
hard the thrust struck him, ‘But let it go for
now. When time is more full I'll answer your
bitter taunt, and you'll beg my pardon for so
shamefully insulting the man who has become
an outlaw for your sole sake!”
““You admit it? You confess that you area
member of the band against which you pretend
to warn me?”
“T amamember just this far: I joined Cap-
tain Junius for the one and only purpose of sav-
ing you, Rose Bryer! He pretends that you
will be restored to your father the hour that a
sum of money is paid him in exchange. Instead
of tbat, he meant to secure the gold—a fortune
in itself !— and still keep you fast in his clutches!
And for what? To make you his wife—willing-
ly if he can win you over, by force if you with-
stand his pleadings and his threats,”
Creed Ashmole never acted a part more per-
fectly than he acted this, because he felt that he
was risking bis all on a last stake, . To lose
meant more than ordinary defeat: it meant
death at the hands of Captain Junius and bis
Muck-a-mucks,
He saw that his earnestness was impressing
the maiden, but be darod not pause to let his
words sink deeper. At any moment interrup-
tion might come, and he hurriedly added:
** You must have seen that I am under a
cloud, Miss Bryer. It comes because I dared
threaten the monster when he told me how he
meant to cheat your father out of both gold and
daughter, He threatened me with the bitterest
tortures human ingenuity could devise if I so
much as hinted at aught of this where the doubt
could reach yourears, In seeking this inter-
view with you Lam sealing my own doom, un-
less you take pity on me—on yourself and your
father as well!”
‘* What do you mean?” faltered Rose,
“That I can and will save you from this
devilish snare, if you will but trust me—if you
will but give me one hope to feed upon! Rose
my darling—”
With a lowcry she struck aside the hands
which offered to touch her, springing back and
then facing him with all trace of doubt and ir-
resolution banished from her beautiful face—
never more lovely than ijn those moments of in-
dignant scorn and accusation,
“No more, you traitor to all'that is pure and
good !” she cried, her voice ringing out clear and
istinct, causing him to cower for a single
breath as he flashed an apprehensive glance
over his shoulder. ‘‘ You must have been born
a liar, for to me you have been always false.
“*T swear by all that—”
“Stop, Creed Ashmole!” liftiog an warning
hand, “Let mespeak, Let me tell you what
J have. known ever since that night when the
robbers wrecked the train we were on.
“You were leagued with them, even then.
You jeft the train with me ia your arms, to all
the more surely throw me into their power, I
know this, for while 1 was hiding from my
enemies, you came and stood before my biding-
place, cursing your tools for permitting me to
slip through their fingers! I beard you, and I
recognized your voice’
“ Are you mad, gir:
“ey would be worse than mad to trust you be-
fore I trusted Little Firefly or ber father, Wick-
ed though he may be, he is a saint in comparison
with such as you—liar, thief, forger, murderer!
Creed Ashmole cast one swift glance around
the spot, then leaped forward and caught Rose
Bryer in bis arms, one harsh hand choking back
the cry that rosein her throat,
“You little fool!” he hissed, viciously, drop-
ping all pretense now that he found a mask of
no avail. ‘I would bave saved you, but now—
you know too much! I did love you—I love
you still—but I love my own life far better!
‘A word from your lips would seal my doom,
but that word shall never be spoken, ‘’ll kill
you—V'll put a double seal on those lips; a kiss,
then—”
Even as he bent forward to pollute her lips, a
sharp report rung out and he reeled back with
a shrill scream, for it, seemed as though a bar
of white-hot iron had been drawn across hisown
ips.
Lead is too sweet pay for such rude love-
making, Mr. Ashmole!” laughed. Little Fircfly,
springing forward and supporting Rose on one
arm while her right hand covered the baffled
villain with a still smoking revolver. ‘* Hands
up and empty, you cur!” ber voice turning
sharp and menacing. “Stir a step forward or
back, and V’ll send my second shot through your
evil brain!” :
But Ashmole bad no thoughts of seeking re-
venge or taking to flight, just then. The bullet
had torn his lips deeply, forever disfiguring bis
beauty, and causing him blinding pain.
That shot alarmed the camp, and foremost
among the masks came Captain Junius, weapons
drawn and ready for use,
Rose Bryer saw this, and with a desperate
effort she rallied ber powers sufliciently to in-
terpose her own fair form between the chief
and his renegade follower, crying out implor-
ingly: .
a bo not—for my sake, spare him!” :
‘“‘ What has he done? Who shot? Firefly?”
‘* He seemed perishing for a kiss, and I gave
him one,” laughed the girl, her eyes still flashing
with indignation.
‘“He bas been punished—do not harm him
further, please,” quavered Rose, her. head be-
ginning to droop as her sight grow dim,
Captain Junius dropped his pistol and leaped
forward, just in time to catch her in his arms
and save her from.a fall, In stern tones he
bade his men, now gathered in. force, to hold
Ashmole under guard until his return, when he
would decide upon his punishment, then bore
Rose back to the hut assigned her for her own
use.
Moaning, spitting out the blood that flowed
into his mouth, Creed Ashmole leaned against a
sapling, offering no plea, making no attempt to
escape, simple pain driving all thoughts from
his brai:
Still flushed with indignation, Little Firefly
stood, near, pistol in hand, his self-appointed
guard.
The Muck-a-mucks formed a circle around
tbe twain, wondering and waiting, too deepl
interested even to interchange whispers with
each otber,
A few moments later the High Muck-a-muck
came back, his eyes glowing redly through the
twin apertures in bis silken mask, but without
any other sign of rage or hot passions.
‘* You say you barked the fellow, Firefly?” he
asked coldly,
“I did, and [never made a prouder shot in
all my life!” promptly responded’ the little
Amazon,
‘‘ Never a truer one, if it was your object to
spoil his beauty!” with a low, metallic laugh,
‘Yet even so willful a freak as you must have
pad a more valid excuse than that. What was
i
‘ You know you summoned me, a bit ago, T
was with Miss Bryer, and I left hor here alone,
I promised to eome back, and when you dis-
missed me, I kept my promise, .
‘* Those bushes cut off my view, but I caught
the sound of voices. One of them—his!” with
a frowning glance toward the woundel wretch,
“One of them was angry, threatening, and that
made me look before speaking. Isaw him with
Rose in his arms, vainly struggling to free ber-
self, I heard him swear he would kill her, but
that he would first win a kiss, I gave him one
—fresh from my gun!”
sone man the Muck-a-mucks gave a cheer
for the glorious little Amazon at this, a grim
jest which they were so fully able to appreciate,
Creed Ashmole sbivered, lifting bis head and
glancing about bim with bloodshot eyes,
bideous spectacle, just then, with his lacerated
lips, bis shattered teeth, his bloody front!
For the first time he seemed to fully realize
his peril, aud with a frantic bowl of mingled
rage and fear, he snatched a pistol from his
belt and tried to shoot the outlaw chief,
The lead sped wild, fora Muck-a-muck caught
him about the ly and twisted him to the
ground, falling beside him and flashing forth a
murderous knife, uplifting the weapon as be
looked up for a sign or a werd from his chief,
For asingle breath thet life bung by a hair,
but the scale was turned by Little Firefly, who
cried out appealinely : :
** Don't—Rose begged for his worthless life,
dandy!”
‘Don’t stain your steel, my good man,”
blandly uttered the chief, his very mildness
causing Creed Asbmole to shiver with dread,
“Tie his hands and feet, then bring bim after
me, And you, Flo, go to Miss Bryer and tell
her that I’ve granted her prayer: I sball not kill
the vile wretch who so shamefully assaulted her,
Tll simply turn him over to the law he has
broken!” .
Captain Junius waited until the wretch was
bound, then led the way to a dark den in the
rocks, where a sign sent bis men away, leaving
him alone with bis prisoner.
“‘ You heard me, 1 know, Creed Ashmole, but
to leave you no doubts to haunt your dreams,
Till repeat: I mean to pass you over to Major
Maznet to answer for the foul murder of Hank
Burlap!” .
CHAPTER XXXII. .
SERVING TWO MASTEES,
A CAMP-FIRE was burniuvg brightly in g
secluded spot deep among the mountains of the
Silver Range.
All around was gloom, for the night bad set
in, but where the glow of blazing logs reached,
all seeined gay enough, even though voices were
subidued in tone.
More than a score of stout fellows squatted in
little groups, each one munching food or sipping
hot ccffee, supplied by a silent-footed balf-breed
at the slightest sign or call. . .
Major Magnet sat a little apart in company
with Richard Tolley, the City Marshal of
Animas, engaged in low conversation as they
ate their supper. ‘
“*T never fancied’ the Injun,” Tolley was say-
ing, but Vil call bim a man and brother if he
fetches this raid off O. K.”
* Works count for nore than faith, in a bit of
business like this,” nodded the major, glancing
toward that silent figure, approval in his keen
eyes. ‘I know he isn’t much -to look at, I
know that, as a general thing, I’d preter having
him keep to leeward, But—he’s gifted with the
‘git thar 2” co
“And that’s what counts in the long run,”
nodded Tolley, ‘‘It was a neat bit of work,
and I’m perfectly willing to give him all the
credit for what he’s done, The boys don’t look
as though the prospect had taken away their
appetites, eh??
“Why should they?” with a grim’ laugh.
“This night’ll send their names ringing through
the land, to say nothing of big wages for’ heap
fun! _ Not one among them but would kick over
his supper for a chance to have a fight—odds not
counted until the dance is over.”
The half-breed came to replenish their cups,
and they dropped their conversation for the
time being. Even a half-breed may havo scru-
ples about being discussed before his very face,
Tinker—a name fastened to the half-breed by
the contemptuous remark of a drunken miner
who once declared the fellow wasn’t worth a
‘*tinker’s dam ”—had been almost the only hope
left Major Magnet after his finding how Hank
Burlap had failed in his mission,
ot that he doubted the eventual freeing of
Rose Bryer, for. Captain Junius surely would
not miss clutching such a fortune as was offered
for her return, But be had sworn to bunt the
Muck-a-mucks down, and he feared that if the
gang did not dissolve on making this rich stroke,
the head of them would vanish for a time, if not
for alltime.
He could do nothing but waitin patience, He
was too well known himself to make a move
without having it noted, for by this time he felt
that the outlaws had firm allies in town who
would at once give warning if he mace a posi-
tive move.
But then Tinker came back and curtly report-
ed perfect success.. He had dogged Sam Patch
to the retreat, and had even partially explored
the camp itself, under cover of darkness, He
had counted the gang, and made mental notes of
the weakest points in the defenses of the retreat.
He could guide a force of men to the spot, and
by taking advantage of the darkness of night,
they might even secure a foothold inside the den
before their coming was suspected,
Yes, he had seen the girl captive. She was
watched, but otherwise given full. freedom, 8
faras moving about the little valley was con-
cerned, . :
In anticipation of this report, Major Magnet