as College Park. This man talked with Manuel, and money chinked between
them.
You might wrap up the goods before you deliver m, the stranger said
gruffly, and Manuel doubled a piece of stout rope around Buck s neck
under the collar.
Twist it, an you ll choke m plentee, said Manuel, and the stranger
grunted a ready affirmative.
Buck had accepted the rope with quiet dignity. To be sure, it was an
unwonted performance: but he had learned to trust in men he knew, and
to give them credit for a wisdom that outreached his own. But when the
ends of the rope were placed in the stranger s hands, he growled
menacingly. He had merely intimated his displeasure, in his pride
believing that to intimate was to command. But to his surprise the rope
tightened around his neck, shutting off his breath. In quick rage he
sprang at the man, who met him halfway, grappled him close by the
throat, and with a deft twist threw him over on his back. Then the rope
tightened mercilessly, while Buck struggled in a fury, his tongue
lolling out of his mouth and his great chest panting futilely. Never in
all his life had he been so vilely treated, and never in all his life
had he been so angry. But his strength ebbed, his eyes glazed, and he
knew nothing when the train was flagged and the two men threw him into
the baggage car.
The next he knew, he was dimly aware that his tongue was hurting and
that he was being jolted along in some kind of a conveyance. The hoarse
shriek of a locomotive whistling a crossing told him where he was. He
had travelled too often with the Judge not to know the sensation of
riding in a baggage car. He opened his eyes, and into them came the
unbridled anger of a kidnapped king. The man sprang for his throat, but
Buck was too quick for him. His jaws closed on the hand, nor did they
relax till his senses were choked out of him once more.
Yep, has fits, the man said, hiding his mangled hand from the
baggageman, who had been attracted by the sounds of struggle. I m
takin m up for the boss to Frisco. A crack dog-doctor there thinks
that he can cure m.
4