The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-05-27

you, Mr.. Fairfax, in behalf of my fair kins-
woman. There will, perhaps" he pursued,
"be no great DANGER, 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 solemly charge
and ,warn you, under any circumstances, or
on sny pretence whatsoever, suffer your
selves to be decoyed 70 either shore!"
al hope we understand our duty better,
Colonel" said one of the men, respectfully.
VI doubt it not" replied the commander
OF the Pointi 81 believe you are all faithful
and true men, or you would not have been
selected by the agent of Colonel Bertrand,
for taking down more precious freight than
you ever carried before; but still the wisest
and best of men have lost their lives by
giving ear to the most earnest appeals of
humanity. You understand what mean!
White men, apparently in the greatest dis.
tress, will hail your boat, represent them
selves as having just escaped from the In.
dians, and beg of you, for the love of God,
in the most piteous tones, to. come 10 their
relief; but turn deaf ear to them-to each
and all of them-even should you know the
pleaders to be of your own kim, for in such
a case your own brother might deceive you
hot wilfully and voluntarily, perhaps
but because Of being godded on by the saw
oges, themselves concealed. Yes, such
things have been known as one friend be.
ing thus used to lure another to his destruc.
| tioE; and so be cautious, vigilant, brave and
true, and may the good God keep you all
| from harm!"
AS he finished speaking, Blanche pro-
ceeded to take an affectionate leave Of all,
receiving many q tender message for 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
fairly entered upon the most dangerous por.
tion of long and perilous journey.
:, The father Of Blanche, Colonel Philip
Bertrand, was native of Virginia, and q
descendant of one of the Huguenot refu-
gees. who fled from their native land after
the revocation Of the edict of Nan,z in
1865. He had been an officer OF some note
during the Revolution-a warm political
and personal friend of the Declaration OF
Independence--and gentleman who had
always stood high in the esteem OF his as.
sociates and contemporaries.
Though at one time man Of wealth,
Colonel Bertrand had lost much, and suffer.
ed much, through British invasion; and
when, shortly after the close of the war, he
had met with a few more serious reverses,
he had been fain 10 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 Kentucky.
The grant had decided the Colonel upon
seeking his new possessions and building up
new home in the then Far West, and
his wife had insisted upon accompanying
him on his first tour; he had assented to her
desire, on condition that Blanche should be
left among her friends, till such q time as o
place could be prepared which might in
some degree be considered fit abode for
one so carefully and tenderly reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone with her
parentsI but on this point her father had
r, been MISUNDERSTANDING that she would
have to remain ut the East till he should see
proper to send for her; and as he was
, man of positive character, and rigid disci.
r plinarian, the matter had been settled with.
, out argument.
When Colonel Bertrand removed to the
West, Eugene Fairfax, as we have seen,
accompanied him; and coming of age short.
" after, hehad accepted the liberal offer OF
MS noble benefactor, to remain with him in
the capacity OF private secretary and conf.
Dental agent. On taking possession of hs
grant, the Colonel had almost Immediately
erected fort, and offered such inducements
to settlers as to speedily collect around hin!
quite little community-of which, as q
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
a Legitimate way he had opened store, and
, had filled it with goods from the Eastern
markets, which goods were transported by
land over the mountains to the Ka1iawha,
and thence by water to the Falls of the
Ohio, whence their removal to Fort Ber.
trand became an easy matter. To purchase
and ship these goods, and deliver packape
of letters to friends in the East. Euoe1e
had been thrice dispatched-his third com.
mission also extending to thS escortDg OF
II the beautiful helress, with her servants. 10
her new home. This last commission had
+ been SO far executed at the time chosen for
the opening OF our story, as to bring the
dlHerent parties to the mouth of the great
kanawha, whence the reader has seen them
slowly floating off upon the still, CLASSY bo.
som of "the belle Of rivers"
The day, which was an suspicjops one,
passed without anything occurring worthy
OF hote' until near four o'clock, when, as
Blanche was stonding on the fore part Of the
deck gazlng at the lovely scene which sur.
rounded her, she saw a seemingly fving
oody suddenly leave limb of gigantic
tree (whose mighty branches extended far
over the river; and near which the boat was
then swayed by the action of the current, )
and allght with crash upon the deck of the
boat, not more than eight feet from her
one glance sufficed to show her what the
OBJECT was, and to freeze the blood in her
VEINS The glowing eyes OF huge pan.
ther met her gaze. The suddenness of the
shock which this discovery gave her was
overpowering. With a deafeninp shrek
she fell upon her knees and ciasped her
hands before her breast. The panther
crouched for his deadly leap; but ere he
ssprang, the hunting knife OF Eugene Fair.
TAX (who' with the steersman, was the only
person on deck besides Blanche;) was buried
to the hllt in his side; inflcting severe
but not fatal wound. The infuriated beast
at once turned upon Eugene, and d deadly
struggle ensued. But it was short one.E =
The polished blade of the knife played
back and forth like lightning flashes; and
at every plunge it was buried to the hih in
the panther's body, who soon fell to the
deck, dragging the duuntless Eugene with
him. on seeing her protector fall, Blanche
uttered another shrek and rushed to his aid;
out assistance from stouter arms was at
:, hand. The boatmen Oathared ron,d onJ