Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-04-01
SPIRITED AWAY,


berries that had been perpetrated in
their midst
Alarming as was the continuation
Of the robberies, 1t was surpassed by
an occurrence that proved to be the
elimination of the work of the DIES.
peradoes.
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 ransom from the distracted
father there could scarcely be doubt.
Helen had lover named Malcolm
Macdonald, a shrewd young lawyer.
who was confident that the head
quarters of the kidnapers were in the
crater of lava beds about twenty
miles southwest of Albuquerque.
Macdonald knew what he was
about when he resolved TO attempt
the rescue eff the dear girl to whom
he was betrOthed, by organizing a
party to search for her captors among
the lava beds,
Five Of his friends, all of them
stout-hearted and adventurous young
fellows, agreed to aid him. Armed
to the teeth and mounted on good
horses the party quietly left Albu-
querque three hours after the abduc-
tion of Helen became known.
The lava beds were several acres in
extent and were in the shape of a
low and broken cone, the top of
which was followed out so as to re-
semble huge bowl. The latter was
all that remained of the crater of an
extinct volcano.
The young men, holding their rifles
in readiness in case of an attack, de-
scended into the great bowl and ad-
vanced until they came TO the mouth
of the cave. The opening was large
enough, and from it good-siZed pas
sage wound downward a distance of
ten feet to the cave, which was about
a rod long and shaped like a right
angled triangle.
The adventures satisfied them
selves by cautious exploration that
the robbers were not IN the cavity.
A little later, while, torch in hand,
they were examining the bottom of
the hollow. they discovered a square
section of the lava floor which was
slightly separated from the surround
ing lava.
The excited men pounded on the
slab Of lava until they broke it suff1-
GENTLY to enable them to grasp the
pieces and remove them. A deep hole
was revealed, 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. He 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.
Seeing that they could not dis
Suade him, and admiring his boldnesS,
the young men discontinued their OBJ
Jection; 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 a long hunting
knife and a brace of pistols, and car
ried in his hand dark lantern. Clos |
ing the slide of the lantern so as to
conceal the light, he crept in dark |
mess down the passage.
The sound Of washing waters came |
to his startled ears, and he inferred |
that he stood upon the edge of SUBJ
terranean lake. After considerable |
hesitation he Ventured to turn on the |
light
Soon MaeDonald's attention was
arrested by u singular sight. A huge !
mass appeared from the gloom be- !
yOnd the reach of the lanterns rays
aud slowly advanced toward him.
1t was not craft belonging to the !
robbers, as Macdonald had at first |
feared, but was an island OF lava.
That so great q mass of lava could |
float seemed incredible, until Mac
Donald bethought that the mass was
undoubtedly composed of pumice,
lighter than water.
1t 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 he
could discern dim light He at
once came to the conclusion that the
mass was Of considerable size and
that the light arose near its cenuer
from camp fire, around which the
outlaws were probably gathered.
When the island had almost reached
the shore it cauged a slight smashing
OF the water and guided by the sound
Macdonald could almost tell where
the floating lava was. Cautiously
putting out his hauds. he felt them
come in contact with a hard and
moving substance; and as the island
touched the shore he gave a leap Of