Smyrna times., 1858-05-13

e home. This last commission had been so ia
G executed at the time chosen for the opening Q
our story, as to bring the different parties to tn
S mouth Of the great Canawha, whence the read
' er has seen them slowly floating of upon th
e still, CLASSY bosom of" the belle of rivers"
The day, which was an auspicious one, pass
9 ed without anything occurring worthy of note
= until near four o'clock, when, as Blanche wa
standing on the fore part of the deck gazing
: the lovely scene which surrounded her, she saw
: seemingly flying body suddenly leave liml
} of a gigantic tree, (whose mighty branches ex
tended far over the river, and near which the
boat was then swayed By the action of the cur
t rent,) and alight with a crash upon the deck o.
the boat, not more than eight feet from her. Ono
glance suficed to show her what the object wos
f and to freeze the blcod in her veins. The
glowing eyes of huge panther met her gaze.
The suddenness of the shock which this dlscOv-
cry gave her was overpoweriAg. With deaf.
ening shrek she fell upon her knees and clasp
ed her hands before her breast. The panther
crOuched for his deadly leap, but ere he sprang,
the hunting knife of Eugene Fairfax (who, with
the steersman, was the only person on deck be-
sides Blnnche), was buried to the hIlt in his
side, ntl!ctlng Il severe but not fatal Mound
The mfuriated beast at once turned upon Eu-
gene, and a deadly struggle ensucd. But it
u
knlic played back and forth like lightning
flashes, and at every plunge it was buried to
the hit in the panthcr's body, who soon fell to
the deck, dragging the dauutless Eugene with
him. On seeing her protector fall, Blanche
uttered another shrek and rushed TO his aid !;
/ but assistance from stOuier arms was at hand.
The boatmen gathered I0and, and the savage
monster was literally hacked IN pieces with
their knives and Latch.s, and Eugene, covered
! with blood, was dragged from under his car
cass. Surprising him to be dead or mortally
| wounded, Blanche threw her arms around his
neck and gave way to a passionate burst of
grief. But he not dead-he was not even
hurt, with the cxcapton of few slight scrat-
Cues The blood With which he was covered
was the panthcr's not his own. But B!anche's
! embrace was hia--a pr celess treasure-an in
dex of her hearts emotions and affections. 1t
was to color his whole future life, as will be
seen IN the progress Of our story.
| Slowly and silently, save the occasional
creuk, DIP, and plash Of the stccrsman's oar
the boat OF our voyagerS was borne along upon
! the bosom of the current. on the third night Of
! the voyage. The hour was waxing late, and
! Eugene, the rniy one asIr except the watch,
was suddenly startled, by rough hand being
placed upon his shoulder, accompanied by the
words, in the grulf voice Of the boatman:
81 say, Cupn. here's troublc!'
What is II, Dick ~ inquired Eugene, start
ing to his feet.
! Don't you see ihar's heavy fog rising,
/ thltll soon hvcr US up so thick that we won't
be able to tell a white man from nigger :" re-
Piled the boatman-Dck Winter by name-a
tall, bony, muscular, athletic specimen Of his
class.
Good heavcn so there is ~ exclaimed Eu-
gene, looking oil upon the already misty waters.
" 1t must have gathered very suddenly, for oil
was clear minute ago. What is to be done
now This is something | was not prepared
for on such night as this"
/ {" Ii luvks truublous, Cap'n, I'll allow" re-
turned Dick but we're in fort, that's sartn,
and spose we'l have to make the best ont"
! " Bat what is to be done! what do you ad-
! wise !" asked Eugene, in quick, excited tOne
! that Indicated somc degree Of alarm.
/ "Whv, cf you warnt so skeered about the
young lady, and it warn't SO dead agin the or
ders from headquarer, my plan would be cl'ar
and easy One-ld just run over to the kaintuck
shore, and tie up"
"No, no. said Eugene, positively " that
will never do, Dlck--that will never do!
would not think of such thing for moment
We must keep in the current by all means -
| "Ef you cam" rejoned the boatman; " but
when it gifts so dark as we can't tell one thing
from t'other, it'll be powerful hard to do; and
ef we don't run agin bar or bank afore morn
ing, in spite of the best o us, it'll be the lucki-
est 90 that ever had hand in. See, Cap'n
its thckenng up fast; we can't see eylhcr
bank at all, nor the water nyther the staIs is
gettin' dim, and it looks as if thar war cloud
all round u.s."
81 sec see !" returned Eugene, excitedly
"Merciful Heaven | hope no accident will be-
! fall US here-and yet my heart most msgives
me for this, | believe, is the most dangerous
part of our jOurney-the vicinity where most OF
our boats have been captured by the savages."
Saying this Eugene hastened below, where
he found the ether boatmen ping so soundy
as to require considerable effort, on his part, 10
wake them. At last, getting them fairly rous-
ed, he informed them, almost in whisper, for
he did not care to disturb the others, that a
heavy fog had suddenly arisen, and that he
wished their presence on deck Immediately.
"a fog, Cap'n," exclaimed one, in a tone
which indicated that he comprehended the
peril with the word.
: Hush," returned Eugene, there Is no me-
! cessity for waking the othersand having scene.
} Up aud follow me, without a word
} He glidcd back to the deck, and was almost
} Immediately ened by the hoatmen, TO whom
r be briefly made known his hopes and fears.
They thought, like their companion, that the
G boat would be safest if made fast to an Overhang
ing limb of the Kentucky shore; but frankly
: admitted that this could not now be done with
: out iiculty and danger, and that there was {
: possibility of keeping the current
i "Then make that possibility certain, and i
c shall be the best nights work you ever perform
t, ed - rejoined Eugene in quick, excited tone
o "We'll do the best we can, Cap'n," was tn
= response; shut no man can be sertain OF tn
e current Of this here crooked stream ia fogg
Is night"
IS A long silence folowed-the voyagers slow
q ly drifting down through misty darkness i'm
D. penetrable 10 the eye--when, suddenly, on
10 yocng commander, standing near the bow. fe
D. the extended branch of an overhangng lin
e silently brush his face. He started, with a
r IN.