Oxford eagle., 1893-03-16


ly seen on account of the inability of
the ire, except in its immediate vicin-
ity, to overcome the power of the dark
ness
Rolled IN blankets and stretched
around the fire were eight robbers
About ten feet from the fire was n wig
wan covered with strips of straw mat
ting that had been laid upon the slant
ing poles of the frame. That his dear
Helen was in this wigwam Macdonald
felt almost certain
How To act uoder the circumstances
was most perplexing To attempt 10
rescue Helen. or even to communicate
with her. would be an undertaking
fraught with the greatest hazard
While our hero hesitated his eyes
were attracted to some plumber that
the robbers had left in a pile short
distance from where he stood
Among the articles were heavy horse
blankets A bright idea came to Mac
Donald He removed his shoes, went
in his stocking feet to the pile, select
ed two blankets and approached the
IRE and the eight men. who slept
soundly after the arduous work of the
previous night.
Macdonald did not, however. spend
any time in thinking of the sin-ularity
and peril of his situation In the most
careful manner he proceeded to cover
the burning sticks with the blankets
and to smother the fire.
Once more the cave was wrapped in
inkv blaclkness. Macdonald moved the
slide of his lantern sufficiently to give
him the little light that he needed
lie approached the wigwam with n
beating heart
Yes, Helen was there.
She recognized him and did not
scream
At this momen. one of the villains
awolSe-
What is the matter with the fire.
he cried
Macdonald had taken the precaution
To close his lantern while Helen and he
were whispering. 80 that there was no
danger Of immediate discovery
The man got mp and b-gan to tumble
around. His companions arolSe. ard
swOre because they had been dis
turb.ed
The situation was desperate. we'll
nigh hopeless. Mac Donald feared that
he had played brave and most per-
lous part pnly TO be defeated
While be was in terrible suSpense.
not knowing what was best To ao. th.
girl whispered To him
Let u fiv- There i boat came
~ = - e.E
on II that will guide me to IT,
Meanwhile the robbers had diss.ov-
cred the blankets aud were removing
them from the FIRE Two Of the fell
lows approached the wigwam-
As they reached il Macdonald and
Helen left II. after ne had hastily cut
the eorsi> that bouns. tbs. maisien's
han1s behind her back
The robbers were now Thoroughly
aroused. but they could no, readily tind
a lantern and could not tell where the
stocking feet, were
Macdonald opened the slide of the
lantern a. soon as he dared to do it.
They bad reached the top of the height
just above the shore, but no flag was in
sight
The robbers saw the fugitives. yelled
vieiously and fred their pistols. Bullets
whistled alsrmingiy near the intended
victims.
Macdonald closed the lantern. and
holding ITelen's hand walked along the
islands edge. Again he allowed a
CLEAN of light To escape. lie saw the
flag ten feet from him. and closed the
lantern before the villains could fire.
The fugitives ran forward. expecting
each moment To be preeipitated into
the water. But fortune favored them.
They fell against the haypole, and re-
covering themselves IN a secoad, slid
down the islands steep side
NaeDonald opened the lantern The
boat was at their feet They sprans
into it Macdonald handed Helen the
lantern. cut the rope. grasped the oars,
and they were afoat
At this moment three of the robbers.
waving pistols, gained the summit of
the bank
Shut the lantern" Mac DouaI cried
Before Helen could obey the cavern
rang with a discharge of firearms. The
three men threw up their hands and
fell forward into the water.
Macdonald knew that his friends had
come to the rescue just in time. He
looked behind him, and saw on the lava
! shelf his five brave companions waving
their hands.
Awed by the fate of their comrades.
/ the five robbers on the island surren-
dered themselves, and with most of
the property they had stolen. were
taken back toAlbuquerque to in triumph
Young Macdonald, the fair Helen
and their i've gallant friends were re-
eeived with raptures by Col Blocker
and his wife and were liouized by all
the people of the city. 4 BoIles. in
Boston Globe