Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-06-03

= OVER Tue river, ana near which the boat w;
= then swayed by the action of the current
o and alight with crash upon the deck ,
! the boat, not more than eight feet from he
n One glance sufficed TO show her what tn
object was, and TO freeze the blood in he
II veins. The glowing eyes of huge par
o ther met her gaze. The suddenness of tn
shock which this discovery gave her wa
!, overpowering. With deafenine shrek sh
e fell upon her knees and clasped her hand
r before her beast The panther crouche
s for his deadly leap. but ere he sprang, tn
hunting knife Of Eugene Fairfax (who,w
the steersman, was the only person on dec
besides Blanche, } was buried to the hilt il
his side, ntlicting severe but not fata
wound. The infuriated beast at once turn
ed upon Eugene. and deadly struggle en-
sted. But it was short one. The polish
ed blade of the knife played back and fort
like lightning flashes, and at every plung
it was buried to the hilt in the panther
body, who soon fell to the deck, draggin'
the dauntless Eugene with him. On seein!
her protector fall, Blanche uttered anothe
shrek and rushed 10 his aid; but assistance
from stouter arms was al hand. The boat.
men gathered round, and the savage mon
ster was literally hacked in pieces with
their knives and hatchets, and Eugene, cov-
cred with blood, was dragged from undel
his carcass. SuPposing him to be dead OIL
mortaly wounded, Blanche threw her arms
around his neck and gave way to passion
ate burst Of grief. But he was not dead
he was Eot even hurt, with the exception oil
few slight scratches. The blood with
which he was covered was the panther's
not his own. But Blanche's embrace wac
his-a priceless treasure-an index of her
hearts motions 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, did, and plash of the steersman'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 wax
ing late, and Eugene, the only one astir
except the watch, was suddenly startled by
a rough hand being placed upon his shoul-
der, accompanied by the words, in the
gruff voice of the boatman:
81 say, Cap'n, here's trou5le."
"Nhat is it, Dickt" inquired Eugene,
starting to his feet.
"Don'. you see thar'r heavy fog rising,
tha'll soon kiver Us up so thick that We
won't be able to tell white man from a
niger" replied the boatman-Dick Win
ter by name--a tall, bony, muscular. ath-
letic specimen os his class.
'Good heavenl SO there is!" exclaimed
Eugene, looking off upon the already misty
waters. at must have gathered very sud-
denly, for all was clear minute ago. What
is 10 be done nUw. This is sorething was
not prepared for. on such a night as this"
at looks troublous, Cap'n, I'll allow, :"
returned Dick; "but we're in fort, that's
sartin, and s'pose We'll have 10 make the
best ont"
"But what is to be dohe!-what do you
advised" asked Eugene, in a quick, excited
tone, that indicated some degree of alarm.
"Why, eff you war'nt so skeered about
the young lady, and it war'nt so dead agin
the orders from headquarters, my plan would
be a cl'ar and easy one--I'd Just run over
to the kaintuck shore, and tie up.''
mo, no." said Eugene, positively; "that
will uever do, Dick-that will never do.-
| would not think of such thing for a mo-
ment! We must keep in the current by all
meansr'
"Efyou can," rejoined the boatman;-
shut when i: gifts so dark as we can't tell
one thing fram t'othsr, it'll be powerful
hard to do; and eff we don't run agin bar
or bank afore morning, in spite of the best
o. US, it'll be the luckiest go that ever had
hand in. See, Cap'n-it's thickening up
fast; we can't see eyther bank at all. nor
the water nyther; the stars is gettin' dim.
and it looks as if thar war a cloud all round
u.s."
81 see! see!" returned Eugene, excited
lv. 'Merciful Heaven! hope no accident
will befall US here--and yet my heart al
most misgives me!-for this, believe, is
the most dangerous part of our journ ey-I
the vicinity where most of our boats have
been captured by the savages."
Saying this, Eugene hastened below
where he found the other boatmen sleeping
SO soundly as to require considerable effort,
on his part, to wake them, At last, get
ting them fairly aroused, he Informed them.
almost in whisper, for he did not care TO
disturb the others, that heavy fog had
suddenly arisen, and he wished their pres
ence on deck, Immediately.
"a fog, Cap'n1" exclaimed one. in a tone
that indicated that he comprehended the
peril with the word.
'Hush!' returned Eugene, 'there is nc ne
cessity for waking the others, and having a
scene. Up! and follow me, without word!"
He glded back to the eek, and was al
most Immediately Joined by the soatmen, to
whom he briefly made known his hopes and !
fears.
They thought, ike their companion, that
the boat woIld be safest if made fast to an |
ovcrhanging limb oe the Kentucky shore;-I
but frankly admitted that this could notnow
be done without difficulty and danger, and
that there was possibility of keeping the
current.
"Then make that possibility certainty
and it shall be the best nights work you
over performedn. rejoincd Eugene, in a
quick, excited tone.
We'll do the best we can Cap'n," was
the response; .'but M man can be surtin Of
the current of this here crooked stream in
a foggy night"
A long silence followed-thc voyagcrs
slowly drifting down through misty dark