Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-05-22

/ body suddenly leave limb Of a gigantic
tree, (whose mighty branches extended fan
over The river, and near which the boat was
4 then swayed by the action Of the current,
/ and alight with crash upon the deck Of
4 the boat, not more than eight feet from her
One glance sufhccd to show her what the
lobiect was, and to freeze the blood in hel
veins The glowing eyes of huge pan
), cher met her gaze. The suddenness of the
shock which this discovery gave her was
overpowering. With deafening shrek
she fell upon. her knees and clasped hel
hands before her breast. The panther
croiched for his deadly leap, but ere he
sprang, the hunting knife of Eugene Fair
fax (who, with the steersman, was the only
person on deck besides Blanche, } was buri-
ed I'd Tie hilt in lis side, inHicting a severe
but not fatal wound The infuriated beast
at once turned upon Eugene. and deadly
struggle ensued But it was a short one.
The polished blade Of the knife played back
and forth like lightning flashes, and at eve
ry Plunge it was buried to the hilt in the
panther's body, who soon fell to the deck,
dragging the dauntless Eugene with him.
On seeing her protector fall; Blanche utter
ed another shrek and rushed to his aid !;
but assistance from stouter arms was at
hand. The boatmen gathered round, and
the savage monster was literally hacked in
pieces with their knives and hatchets, and
Eugene, covered with blood, was dragged
from Under his carcass. Surprising him to
be dead or lnortally wounded, Blanche
threw her arms around his neck and gave
way to passionate burst of grief But he
was not dead-he was not even hurt, with
the exception of a few slight scratches. =
The blood with which he was covered was
the panther's, not his own. But Blanches
embrace was his--a priceless trcasure-an
index Of her hearts emotions and affections.
It was to color his whole future life, as will
be seen in the progress Of our story.
! Slowly and silently, save the occasional
creak, dip, and plash Of the steerman's oar,
the boat Of our yoyagers was borne along
upon the bosom Of the current, on the third
night Of the voyage. The hour was wax
| ing late, and Eugene, the only one astls
except the watch, was suddenly startled,
by rough hand being placed upon his
shoulder, accompanied by his words, in the
grntf voice of the boatman
II say, Cap'n, here's trouble
| "What is it. Dick?' inquired Eugene,
starting to his feet.
Don't you see thar's heavy fog rising,
that'll soon kiver us up 50 thick that we
won't be able to tell white man from a
ngger?" replied the boatman-Dick Win
ter by name-a tall, bony, muscular, ath-
letic specimen Of his class.
"Good heaven" SO there Isl exclaimed
Eugene, looking off upon the already misty
waters. ut must have gathered very sud
denly, for all was clear minute ago. What
| is to be done now? This is something was
not prepared for, on such night as this. 7
| ut looks troublous, Cap'n, III allow, 2
returned Dick but we're in fort, that's sar-
| tin, and | suppose Wen have to make the
| best ont"
"But what is to be done ?-what do you
| advise 2" asked Eugene, in a quick, excited
tone, that indicated some degree Of alarm.
why, eff you warn't 50 skeered about
the young lady, and it warn't 50 dead agin
the orders from headquarters, my plan would
| be cl'ar ard easy one-Fd Just run over
to the Kantuck shore, and tie up"
mo, no." said Eugene, positively; s'that
will never do, Dick-that will never do =
would not think Of any such thing for a
moment! We must keep in the current by
| all meansH'
''Ef got CAM rcjoined the boatman ;
'sbut when it gifts 50 dark as we can't tell
one thing from t'other, it'll be powerful hard
| to do; and eff we don't run agin bar OF a
bank afore morning, in spite o the best Of
US, it'll be the luckiest 60 that ever had a
hand in. See Cap'r-it's thickening UP fast,
we can't see cyther bank at all, not the va
ter nyther; the stars is gettin' dim, and it
looks as if thar war cloud all round Us. y
II see! see :" returned Eugene, excit-
eddy. "Ntcrciful Heaven. | hope no acct
| dent will befall us here-and yet my heart
almost misgives 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 fastened below, where
| he found the other boatmen sleeping SO
soundly as to require considerable effort, on
his part, to wake them. At last, getting
them fairly reused, he informed them, al
most in whisper, for he did not care to
disturb the others, that a hoavy fog had
suddenly arisen, and he wished their pres
ence on deck Immediately.
"A fog, Cap'n 2 exclaimed cine, in q tone
Which indicated that he comprehended the
peril With the word
Hush 2 returned Eugene there is nc
necessity for waking the others, and having
scene, Up! and follow me, without q
word z
He glided back to the deck, and was al
most Immediately joined by the boatmen, to
whom he briefly made known his hopes and
fears.
They thought, like their companion, that
the boat would be the safest if made fast to
an overhanging limb Of the Kentucky shore;
but frankly admitted that this could not
now be done without difficulty and danger,
and that there was possibility of keeping
| the current.
Then make that possibility q certainty,
and it shall be the best nights work you
ever performed 7 rejoined Eugene, in a
| auick, excited tone.
We'll do the best we can, Cap'n. was
the response; but no man can be sartin of
the current of this here crooked stream in a
foggy night
! 4 long silence followed-the voyagers
slowly drifting down through misty dark
ness impenetrablc to the eJe-*hen, sud-
Il