St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-05-06

a laurel crown
Evelyn Travers. in Western Rurzl
SPIRITED AWAY.
1no Exciting Adventure of q West
ern Lover.
The Inhabitants of Albuoueronc N
M. had become greatly excited on &C
count of . series of daring robberie.
'nat ha1 been pcrpctrated iu thci
Alarming rs was the continuation o
ehc robbcries. it was surpassed BY a,
occurrence that proved to be the cul
manation of the work of the despera
does.
Onc night the beautiful daughter O
Sol Blcelser, the richest citizen of tht
city, was kidnapped That the deco
mad been done by the robbers for tl,e
purpose of keeping the maiden captive
until they could obtain liberal ran.
som from the distracted father there
could scarcely be a doubt.
helen had a lover named Malcolm
Macdonald, a shrewd young lawyer,
who was confident that the hcadquar.
tiers of the kidnapcrs were in the crater
OF lava beds about twenty miles south
west of Albuquerque.
Macdonald knew what he was about
when he resolved to attempt the res.
cue OF the dear girl to whom he was be.
trothed by organizing a party to search
Tor her captors among the lava beds.
Five OF his friends, all of them stout
hearted and adventurous young fel.
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 shape OF a low
and broken cone, the top of which was
followed out SO as to resemble q huge
bowl. The latter was all that re.
anained Of the crater of an extinct vol
cano.
The young men, holding their rides
in readiness in case of an attack, de-
sccndcd into the great bowl and I'D
vanced until they came to the mouth
OF the cave. The opening was large
enough, and from it a eootl-sizcd pas
sage wound downward u distance of
ten feet to the cave, which was about
. rod long and shaped like a right
anRlcd triangle.
The adventurcrs satisfied themselves
BY . cautious exploration that the rob-
bers were not in the cavity. A little
later. while, torch in hand, they were
the bottom of the hollow,
they discovered a square section of the
lava floor which was slightly separated
from the surrounding lava
The excited men pounded on the slab
of lava until they broke it sufficiently
to enable them to grasp the pieces and
remove them. A deep hole was re-
except where narrow shelves.
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
asleep at that hour, and
that the chance OF coming upon them
before reaching the main cave was
small.
Seeing that they could not dissuade
him. and admiring his boldness. the
roung men discontinued their objection;
md after they had assured him that |
hey would defend him should he come /
,orth pursued. and would re vcngc his |
leath should he be killed. they bade
lim syodspeed as he entered the cavity. |
He was armed with q long hunting
Inife and q brace of pistols, and car
led in his hand a dark lantern Clos
ne the slide of the lantern Sd as to /
onceal the light, he crcpt in darkness
lown the passage
The sound of washing waters came
o his startled ears, and he inferred
hat he stood upon the edge of sub
erraucan lake. After considerable
es;tation he venturcd to turu on the
ight
Soon MacDonald's attention was ar
csted by q singular sight A huge
lass appeared from the gloom beyond
he reach of the lanterns rays and
lowly advanced toward him.
Il was not q craft belonging to the
obbers, as Macdonald had at first
Jared. bu. was an island of lava. That
, great . mass Of lava could foat
,emcd incredible, until Mac Donald
that the mass was rndoubt-
lily composed of pumice, lighter than
ater.
Il Immediately occurred to our hero
,at the robbers were probably on the
va vessel. and he closed the lantern
ithout delay.
As the island came nearer he could
scern . dim light He at once came ,
, the conclusion that the mass was of
,nsiderable size and that the light
,ose near its center from q campfire,
,ound which the outlaws were proba-
y gathered Wren the island had ,
most reached the shore it caused =
ight smashing of the water and guided
; the sound Macdonald could almost
II where the floating lava was Cau-
,usly putting out his hands he felt
EN- come in contact with . hard and ]
owing substance; and IS the island
uchcd the shore he gave leap OF
fficicnt power to carry him well upon
e singular craft q
lie sat still for q few moments. aid
his alarm noticed that the island 6
u not fingered at the shore, as he had !
ped that it would do.