Arkansas intelligencer., 1858-05-21
NEW SERIES, VOL ", NO. -

NJ the lovely scene which surrounded her she
saw n seemingly flying body suddenly leave
a limb Of gigantic tree, (whoso mighty BRAN
ches extended for over the river, and near
which the boat was then swayed by tl. .e-
ton of the currently and slight with crash
upon the deck of the boat not more than
eighty feet from her. One giancs susIiced to
show her what the object wss, AID to freeze
the blood in her veins. The glowing eyes of
huge panther met her gaze. The sudden
ness Of the shock which this discovery gave
her was overpowerinc. With d.afeninc
| shrek she fell upon her knees and cla.ped
her hands before her breast The panther
crouched for his deadly leap, but ere he
sprang. tho hunting knife Of Eugene Fairfax,
/ (who, with the steersman, was tho only per-
son on deck besides Bisnche) was buried TO
| the hit in his side. inflicted a severe but no,
fatal woand. The infuriated beast at once
turned upon Eugene. and deadly struggle
/ ensued. But il was short one. The pol
! shed blade OF tho knife played back and forth
! like lightning flashes, and at every plunge /,
was buried TO the hilt in the panther's BODY,
who soon fell to the deck. dragging the daunt-
/ less Eugene with him. On seeing her pro;ec-
tor fall, Blanche uttered another shrek and
rushed to his aid: but assistance from stouter
U
round, and the savage monster was literally
hacked in pieces with their knives and hatch
cts, and Eugene covered with blood. was
dtaggcd from under his carcass. Supposinc
| him to be dead or Inortally 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 few slight scratches. The
blood with which he was covered was the
panther's, not his own. But Blanche's en-
brace was his-a priceless treasure-un index
Of her hearts emotions and affections. Ii was
to color his whole future life, as will be seen
in the progress Of our story.
Slowly and silently, save the occasional
creab. dip, and plash of the steersmans oar,
the boat of our voysgcrs was borne along up
on the bosom Of the current on the third
night of the voyage. The hour was waxing
late, and Eugene, the only one astir except
the watch, was suddenly startled, by a rough
hand being placed upon his shoulder, accom-
panied by the words, in the gruf voice of the
boatman:
81 say, Cap'n here's trouble"
"What is it, Dick" inquired Eugene, start
ing to his feet.
Dent you see thar's heavy fog rising,
;hatl. soon kiver Is 20 SO thick that we won't
10 .hle-tc tel vhi'c' -.=-,. r--.-.- .s:=s-
replied ,he Uoatman-Dick Winter by nsme
"a tall, bony, muscular, athletic specimen Of
his class.
Good heaven, so there is :" exclaimed Eu-
gene, looking of upon the already misty wa
tiers. at must have gathered very suddenly,
For all was clear a minute ago. What is to
be done now! This is something was no,
prepared for, on such night as this.n
at looks troublous, Cap'n, I'll allow" re-
TUNED Dick" but we're in fort, that's sartin.
and s'posc we'll have to make the best ont.
''But what is to be donel-what do you
advise ?" asked Eugene, in a quick, excited
tone, that indicated some degree of alarm.
"Why, ef you warn't so dead agin the or
ders from head quarters, my plan would be
cl'ar and easy one-rd Just run over TO the
Kentuck shore, and tie up"
mo, no" said Eugene, positively; "that will
never do Dick-that will never do would
not think of such thing for moment
We must keep in the current by all meansr'
"Ilf you can," rejoined the boatmnn; "but
when it gifts so dark rs we can't tell oBe thing
! from t'othor, it'll be powerful hard TO do; aud
eff we don't run agin a bar or bank afore morn
ing, in spite Of the best o us It'll be the luck
/ lest 90 that ever had hand in. See, Cap'n
its thickening up fast; we can't see eyther
bank at all, nor the water nyther; the stars Is
( gettin' dim, aud it looks rs If thar war cloud
! Ill round us"
Il see. see :" returned Eugene, excitedly.
! "Merciful Heaven, | hope no accident will be-
| fall us here-and yet my heart almost mis-
| gives 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 boatmea sleeping so sound
| ly as TO require considerable effort, on his
part, to wake them At last, getting them
| fairly reused, he informed them, almost in .
! whisper, for he did not care to disturb the
others, that a heavy fog had suddenly arisen,
and he wished their presence on deck, irnmo-
diately.
"a fog, Cap'n!' exclaimed. one, in tone
which indicated that he comprehended the
peril with the word.
"Hush a returned Eugene; 'there is no ne
cessity for waking the others, aud having
scene. Up! and follow me, withcu; word'.
lie glided back to the deck, and was al
most Immediately joined by the boatmen, to
whom he briefly made known bis hopes and
| fears.
They thought, like their companion, that
the boat would be 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 cur
rent.
Then make that possibility certainty, and
it shall be the best nights work you ever per.
formed rejoined Eugene, in quick, excited
| tone.
"We'll do the best We can, Cap'n," was the
response; "but no man can be sartin of the
current ofthis here crooked stream in Goggy
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