Oxford eagle., 1893-03-16
SPIRITED AWAY.
The Exciting Adventure Of West
ern Lover.

count Of series of daring robberies
that has. been pcrpetrated ia their
midst
Alarming as was the continuation Of
the robberies. it was surpassed by an
occurrence that proved to be the cul-
mination Of the work of the despera-
does
One night the beautiful daughter of
Col Blocker. the richest citizen of the
city, was kidnapped That the deed
had been done by the robbers for the
purpose of keeping the maiden captive
until they could obtain a liberal ran
som from the distracted father there
could scarcely be doubt
Helen had a lover named Malcolm
Macdonald. 4 shrewd young lawyer.
who was confident that the headquar-
ters of the kidnapers were in the crater
of lava beds about twenty miles south
west of Albuquerque
Macdonald knew what he was abou,
whcu he resolved to attempt the res
cue of the dear girl 10 whom he was be-
trothed by organizing party to search
for her captors among the lava beds.
Five Of MS friends, all of them stout
hearted and adventurous young fell
lows. agreed TO aid him Armed 10
the teeth and mounted on good horses
the party quietly left Albuquerque
three hours after the abduction of
Helen became known
The lava beds were several acres in
extent and were in the share Of a low
and broken cone. the top Of which was
followed out so as TO resemble a huge
bowl The latter was all that re-
manned Of the crater Of an extinct vol
eaHS.
The young men. holding their rifles
in readiness in case of an attack. de-
seended into the great bowl and adj
vaneed until they came To the mouth
of the cave The opening was large
enough and from il 4 good-sized pas
sage wound downward a distance Of
ten feet to the cave, which was about
rod long and shaped like a right
angled triangle.
The adve1turers satisfied themselves
by u cautious exploration that the rob
bsrs were not in the cavity. A little
later. while. torch in hand. they were
examining the bottom of the hollow.
/ they discovered I square section OF the
lava floor which was slightly separated
I from the surrounding lava
The excTted men pounded on the slab
Of lava until they broke IL sufficiently
to enable them to grasp the pieces and
remove them A deep hole was re-
vealed- except where narrow shelves,
extending on four sides. had served to
support the edges of the block
Macdonald determined to make the
descent of the shelving sides OF the
[ hole lie argued that the robbers were
undoubtedly asleep at that hour. and
that the chance OF coming upon them
before reaching the main cave was
small
l Seeing that they could not dissuade
him. and admiring his boIdness. the
young men discontinued their objection:
/ and after they had assured him that
they would defend him should he come
forth pursued. and would revenge his
death should he be killed. they babe
/ him godspeed as he entered the cavity.
/ He was armed with long hunting
knife and = brace of pistols, and ear
ried in his hand a dark lantern Clos
ing the slide of the lantern So as to
conceal the light, he erept in darkness
down the passage
The sound of washing waters came
to his startled ears, and he inferred
that he stood upon the edge of a sub
terranean lake After considerable
hesitation he ventured TO turu on the
light
Soon MaeDonald's attention was ar
rested by n singular sight 4 huge
mass appeared from the gloom beyond
the reach of the lanterns rays and
slowly advanced toward him
II was not a craft belonging to the
robbers. as Macdonald had at first
feared. bu- was an island of lava Thz,
so great a mass of lava could foa;
seemed incredible. until Macdonald
bethought that the mass was undoubt.
edly composed of pumiee. lighter than
water.
II Immediately occurred To our hero
that the robbers were probably on the
lava vessel. and he closed the lantern
without delay
As the island came nearer ne epuls.
discern \ dim light lie at once came
20 the conclusion that the mass was of
considerable size and that the light
arose near its center from q campfire,
around which the outlaws were proba-
bly, gathered Wren the island had
almost reached the shore IL caused a
slight swashing of the water and guided
by the sound Macdonald could almost
tell where the floating lava was Cau-
tiously putting out hss hands he felt
them cone in ecntac. with a hard and
moving substance. and as the island
touched the shore he gave q leap of
sufficient power 10 carry him well upon
the slngnI1r craft
He sat still for a few moments. and
10 ais alarm noticed that the island
hal not fingered AZ the shore. 2s he had
hooed that II would do
Il was already moving ably away.
and he surmi=ed that the currents OF
the singular lake. or river, 50 ran Is 70
carry the mass round and round the
cave
After slowly climbing upward for
six or seven feet Macdonald came tc
the top of the island and then learned
that mis- theory as TO the dim filuminar
tion was correct The island was cir
euiar. about half an acre in extent, and
nea- its center was the FIRE. now burn
ing low
The Island sheIved from its elevated
1 aides t0rxar4 ths. s.euter and en- &C,