Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-05-22

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since our arrival here, have left nothin
undone that thought might possibly add
her security and comfort"
"That is true, to my personal knowledge,
joined in the uncle of Blanche; "and than
you, Mr. Fairfax, in behalf of my fair kins
woman. There will, perhaps" he pursued
"be no great danger, so long as you keep II
| the current; but your watch must not D.
neglected for a single moment, either nigh
or day and do not, / most solemnly charg
and warn you, under any circumstances; O
on any pretence whatsoever, suffer yourselves
to be decoyed to either shore !"
III hope we understand our duty better
Colonel" said one of the men, respectfully
III doubt it not" replied the commander
the Point II believe you are all ialthtu
and true men, or you would not have oeen
selected by the agent of Colonel Bertrand
for taking down more precious freight tha1
you ever carried before but still the wlscs'
and the best of men have lost their lives by
giving ear to the most earnest appeals OF
humanity. You understand what mean
White men apparentlyin the greatest distress
will hail your boat, represent themselves as
having just escaped from the Indians, ana
beg of you, for the love of God, in the most
plteous tones to come to their relief but turn
deaf ear to thom--to each and all OF them
even should you know the peaders to be
of your own kin for in such case your own
brother might deceive you-not wi!iully and
voluntarily, perhaps-but because OF being
goaded on by the savages, themselves con.
cealed. Yes, such things have been known
as one friend being thus used to lure another
to his destruction and so be cautious. ylgl,,
liant, brave and true, and may the good God
tnn, Won oil Fro,, ham,
As ho finished speaking, Blanche proceed
cd TO take an aflectione:e leave OF all, re-
ceiving many o tender message for her pa
rents from those who held them in love and
veneration and the boat swung out, and be-
gan TO float down with the current, now fair
ly entered upon the most dangerous portion
Of long perilous journey.
The father OF Blanche, Colonel Philip Der
trand, was a native of Virginia, and descen-
dant of one Of the Uuguenot refugees, who
fled from their native land after the reYoca-
tion Of the edict of Nantz in 1868. lie had
been an officer of some note during tho Rcvo-
lution--a WARM political and personal friend
of the author of the Declaration Of lbdepen.
dence-and q gentleman who had always
stood high in the esteem Of his associates and
contemporaries.
Though at one time man Of wealth, Col.
onel Bertrand had lost much, and suffered
much through British invasion and when,
shortly after the close Of the war, he had met
with few more serious revcrses, lie had been
Iain to accept grant of land, near the Falls
Of the Ohio, now Louisville, rendered him by
Virginia which then held jurisdiction over the
entire territory now constituting the State OF
X hentucky.
The grant had decided the Colonel upon
seeking his new possessions and building up
a new home in the then Far West, and as his
vile had Insisted upon accompanying him on
his first tour, ho had assented to her desire,
on condition that Blanche should be left
among her friends, till such time as place
could be prepared which might in some de-
gree be considered fit abode for one so
careful y and tendery rearel.
Blanche would gladly have gene with her
parents; but on this point her father had been
inexorable- declaring that she would have to
remain at the East till he should see proper
TO send for her as he was q man Of positive
character, and rigid disciplinarian, the mat
ter had been settled without argument.
When Colonel Bertrand removed to the
West, Eugene Fairfax, as we have seen ac-
companied him and coming Of age shortly
after, he had accepted the liberal offer Of his
noble benefactor, to remain with him in the
capacity of private secretary and confidential
agent. On taking possession Of his grant,
the Colonel had almost Immediately erected
q fort, and offered such inducements to set
tiers to speedily collect close around him
quite little community-of which, as mat
ter of course, he became the head and chief
and to supply the wants Of his own family
and others, and increase his gains in legiti-
mate way he had opened o store, and filled il
with goods from the Eastern marts, which
goods were transported by land over the
to the kanawha, and thence by
waters to the Falls of the Ohio, whence their
removal to Fort Bertrand became an easy
latter. To purchase & hip th sgoods, and
deliver package Of letters to friends in the
East, Eugene had been thrice dispatched
his third commission also extending to the
escorting Of the beautiful heiress, with her
servants, to her new home. This last CON-
mission had been so far executed at the time
chosen for the opening of our story, as to
bring the different parties to the mouth of
the great Kama wha, whence the reader has
seen them floating of upon the still, CLASSY
bosom Of, 1.-THE belle of rivers"
The Gay, which was an auspicious one, pas
sed without anything occurring worthy OF
uOtoi uutH uedT lOuT u ClOCh, Nueu aS IDluu-
che was standing on the fore part of the deck
gazing at the lovely scene which surrounded
her, she saw a seemingly flying body sudden
ly leave limb Of gentle tree, (whose nigh
ty branches extended far over the river, and
near which the boat was then swayed by the
action of the current and alight with a crash
upon the deck of 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 sudden
ness of the shock which this discovery gave
her was overpowering. With deaiening
shrek she fell upon her knees and clasped
her hands before her breast. The panther
crouched for his deadly leap, but ere he sprang
the hunting knife of Eugune Fairfax (who,
with the steersman, was the only person on
deck beside blanche,) was buried to the hilt
in his side, infiicting severe but not
fatal wound. The infuriated beast OF once
turned upon Eugene, and a dead struggle en-.
sued. But it was short one. The polished
blade of the knife played back and forth like
lightning flashes, and at every plunge 1t 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 uttered another shrek and rush
ed 10 his aid but assistance from stoutel
arms was at hand. The boatmen gathered
round, and the savage monster was literally
4 A 4. thnsn lFa an