Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-05-20

themselves as having just escaped from
the Indians, and beg Of you, for the love
of God, in the most piteous tones, t.
come to their relief; but turn deaf cal
to thcm-to each and all of thcm-eyen
should you know the pleaders to be o
lyour own kin; for in such case youl
own brother mi Ght deceive you-no
wilfuIly and voluntarily, perhaps-but
because Of being goadcd on by the saw
ages, themselves concealed. Yes, such
things have been known as one friend
being thus used to lure another to his
dcstruct ion; and so he cautious, vigiiant
brave and true. and may the good GOO
keep you all from haim!'
| AS be finished speaking, Blanche pro
cccded to take an affcctionate leave oi
all, receiving many a tender message
fer her parents from those who held
them in love and vcncration; and the
boat swung out, and began to float down
with the current, EOw faiI ~ entered up
on the most dangerous portion Of Il long
and pcrilous journey.
The father Of Blanche. Colonel Philip
Bertrand, was Il native of Virginia. and
Il descendant Of one OF the HugucrCt re-
fu2ces, who fed from their native land
after the revocation ofthe cdict Of Nuntz
in 1865. He had been an officer Of some
note during the Revolutions warm
political and personal friend Of the au-
thor Of the declaration of Independence
and gentleman who had always stood
high in the esteem Of his associates and
contemporaries.
Though at one time man of wealth,
Colonel Bertrand had lost much, and
suffered much, through British invasion;
and when, shortly after the close Of the
revcrscs, he had been lain to accept
grant of land near the Falls of the Ohio,
how Louisville, rendered him by Nir-
einia, which then held jurisdiction over
the entire territory now constituting the
State of kentucky.
The grant had decided the Colonel
upon seeking his ncw possessions and
building up a new honc in the then
Far Wc.:t, and as his wife had insisted
upon accompanying him on his first
tour, he had asscntcd to her desire, on
condition that Blanche should bc left
among her fricn Is, till such time as IA
place could be prepared which might in
some degree bc considered Il lit abode
iuronc SO carefully andtcndrrly reared
Blanche would gladly have gone with
her parents: but on this point her faith
cr had been able-declaring that
she would have to remain i.t the East
till he should see proper to send for her;
and as lie was Il man Of positive charac-
ter and Il rigid discipiinarian, the mat
ter had been settled without argument.
When Colonel Bertrand removed to
the W est, Eugene FairfaN, as we lave,
seen, accompanied him; and coming Of
age shortly after. he had accepted the
liberal offer Of his noble hcne!actor, to
remain with Linn in the capacity Of pri
vatc secretary and confidential agent.
On taking possession Of his grant, the
Colonel had almost Immediately erected
a fort, and offered such inducements TO
settlers as to speedily collect around him
quite little community-o which. as ::
matter Of course, he became the head
and Chief: and TO supply tEe wants Of his
own family and others, and increase lis
gains in a legitimate way. he had OF cn-
cd Il store, and filled it with goods from
lie Eastern martS, Which goods were
transported hy land over the noun
tains to the Kanawka, and thence 10y
water to Tie Falls of TIE Chic, whence
their removal to Fort Bertrand became
an easy matter. 70 purchase and ship
these goods, and deliver a package Of.
letters 10 friends in the East, Eugene
had been thrice disput Ecd-his third
commission also extending to the cscor-
ting Of ti!e beautiful hcircss, with her
servants, to her new home. This last
con! Iission had been so far executed at
the tine chosen for the opening Of cur
story, as 10 bring Tie different parties tc|
the mouth Of the great kanawfa Whcnce
the reutcr has seen them sowly floating
off upon the still gla:sy bosom Of the
belle Of rivers"
The day, which WAS an auspicious
one, passed without anything occurring
worthy Of note, until near four o'clock,
when, as Blanche was standing on the
fore part Of the deck gazing at the love
ly scene which surrounded her, she saw
a seemingly flying body suddenly leave
limb of i gigantic tree, (whose mighty
branches extending far over the river,
and near which the boat was then sway
cd by the action of the current), and
ali"ht with crush upon the deck cf the
boat, not more than eight feet from her.
One glance suficed to show her what
the object was, and to freeze the blood
in her veins. The glowing eyes Of
huge panther met her gaze. The sud
dcnncss of the shock which this discov-
cry gave her was empowering. With
Il deafcning shrek she fell upon her
knees and clasped her hands before her
breast The panther crouchcd for his
deadly leap, but ere he spran@, the hun
ting knife Of Eugene Fairfax (who Will;
the steersman, was the only person on
deck be i,lcs Blanche), was hurled 10 the
hilt in his side, inficting severe but not
fatal wound The infuriatcd beast at
once turned upon Eugene, and Il deadly
struggle ensued. But it was short
one. The polished blade Of the knife
played back and forth like lightning
flashes, and ut every plunge it WAS bur
led to the hilt in the panthcr's body,
who soon fell to the deck, dragging the
daunt!cas Eugene with Kim. On seeing
her PROTECTOR fall. B,aG>kc uttered all