The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-05-20

with all on board.
"No one feels more concerned about
the safe passage of Miss Bertrand than
myself" replied Eugene, in defereutial
tone; and since our arrival here, | have
left nothing undone that thought might
possibly add to her security and comfort" /"
"That is true, to my personal knowl-
edge" joined in the uncle of Blanche !;
and thank you, Mr. Fairfax, in be-
half of my fair kinswoman There will,
perhaps" he pursued, "be no great dan
ger, SO long as you keep in the current ;
but your watch must not be neglected for
single moment, either night or day and
do not, | most solemnly charge and warn
you, under any circumstances, or on any
pretence whatsoever, suffer yourselves to
be decoyed to either shore p
hope we understand our duty better,
Colonel," said one of the men, respectfully.
doubt it not, " replied the command
er of the Point; 81 believe you are all
faithful and true men, or you would MT
have been selected by the agent of Colonel
Bertrand, for taking down more precious
freight than you ever carried before but
still the wlsest and the best of men have
lost their lives by giving ear to the most
earnest appeals of humanity. You un-
derstand what I mean? White men. ap-
parently in the greatest distress, will hail
your boat, represent themselves as having
just escaped from the Indians, and beg OF
YOU, for the love Of God, in the most pite-
Gus tones, to come to their relief; but
turn deaf ear to them-to each and all
of them-even should you know the plead
ers to be of your own kin; for in such a
case your own brother might deceive you
NOT wilfully and voluntarily, perhaps
but because of being goaded on by the
savages, themselves concealed. Yes, such
things have been known as one friend be-
ing thus used to lure another TO his des-
truction; and SO be cautious, vigilant,
brave and true, and may the good God
keep you from all harm p
As he finished speaking, Blanche pro-
ceeded to take an affectionate leave of all,
receiving many tender message for her
parents from those who held them in love
and veneration /: and the boat swung out,
and began to float down with the current,
now fairly entered upon the most danger
Gus portion of long and perilous journey.
+ The father of Blanche, Colonel Philip
Bertrand, was native of Virginia, and
descendant of one of the Huguenot refu-
gees, who fed from their native land after
the revocation of the edict of Nantz in
1865. He had been an officer of some
note during the Revolution-a warm po-
litical and personal friend to the author of
the Declaration of ndependence-anda a
gentleman who had always stood high in
the esteem of his associates and cotempo-
raries.
Though at one time man Of wealth,
Colonel Bertrand had lost much, and suf-
ferred much, through British invasion
and when, shortly after the close of the |
war, he had met with few more serious
reverses, he had been fain to accept grant
of land, near the Falls of the Ohio, now
Louisville, rendered him by Virginia,
which then held jurisdiction over the en-
tire territory now constituting the State
of Kentucky.
The grant had decided the Colonel upon
seeking his new possessions and building
up a new home in the then Far West, /
aud as his wife had insisted upon accom-
panying him on his first tour, he had as
sented 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 degree be considered
a fit abode for one so carefully and tender
ly reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone with
her parents; but on this point her father
had been MISUNDERSTANDING that she
would have to remain at the East till he
should see proper to send for her; and as
he was man Of positive character, and a
rigid disciplinarian, the matter had been
settled without argument.
When Colonel Bertrand removed to the
West, Eugene Fairfax, as we have seen,
accompanied him; and coming of age
shortly after, he had accepted the liberal
offer Of his noble benefactor, to remain
with him in the capacity ofprivate secre-
tary and confidential agent. On taking
possession of his grant, the Colonel had
almost immediately erected fort, and
offered such inducements to settlers as to
speedily collect around him quite little
community-of which, as a matter of
course, he became the head and chief
and to supply the wants of his own family
and others, and increase his gains in le-
gitimate way, he had opened a store, and
filled it with goods from the Eastern marts,
which goods were transported by land
over the mountains to the Kanawha, and
thence by water to the Falls of the Ohio,
whence their removal to Fort Bertrand
became an easy matter. To purchase and
ship these goods, and deliver package
of letters to friends in the East, Eugene
had been thrice dispatched-his third
commission also extended to the escorting