The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-05-12

The day which was an suspicious one,
passed without anything occurring worthy
ot note, until near o'clock, when, AS
blanche was standing on the fore part
OF the deck gazing at the lovely scene
which surrounded her, she saw a seeming.
ly flying body suddenly leave = li4nt Of
gigantic tree Whose mighty branches
extended far over the river, and near
which the boat was lthcn swayed by the
action OF the currently, and aight with a
crash upon the deck of the boat not more
than eight feet from her. One glance
sullieed 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 suddenness Of the shock
which this discovery gave her Was over.
Powering. With a deafening shrek she
fell upon her knees and clasped her hands
before her breast. The panther crouched
for his deadly leap, but he sprang, the
hunting knife Of Eugene Fairfax (who,
with the steersman, was the only person
on deck besides Blanche), was buried to
the hit in his side, intlicting severe but
not fatal wound. The infuriated beast a..
once turned upon Eugene, aud deadly
struggle ensued. But it WAS short one.
The polished blade of the knife played
back aud forth Ike lightning flashes, and
at every plunge it was buried to the hilt
in the panther's body, who soon fell to
the deck, dragging The dauntless Eu. enc
with HIM. On seeiag her protector fall,
Blanche uttered another shrek and rush
ed TO his aid but assistance from stout.
er arms was at hand. The boatman
gathered round, and the savage monster
was literally hacked in pieces with their
KNIVES and hatehes, and Eugene, covered
with Clood, was dragged from under his
carcass. Supposing him to he dead or
mortally wounded, Blanche threw her
arms around his neck and gave way to
a 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
parther's, not his own. But Blancle's
embrace was his-a priceless treasure-
an index of his hearts emotions and af.
tectrons. 1t was to color his whole future
life, as will be seen in the progress of our
story.
Slow and silently, save the occasional
crack, dip, and plash of the steerman'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 waxing late, and Eugene, the onlv
one astlr except the watch, was suddenly
startled, by rough hand being placed
upon his shoulder, accompanied 10y the
words. in the grutf voice Of ihe boatman
i say, Cap'n, here's trouble y
What is it, Dick 2 inquired Eugene.
starting to his feet.
Don't you see thar'S a heavy iog is.
ing, hatlI soon kiver us up SO thick that
we won't I've able TO tell white man
trom nigger 2 replied the boa,man-
Dick Winter bv name-a tall, bouv, mus.
cuar, athletic specimen of his class.
Good heaven Sc there is! exclaimed
Eugene, looking of upon the already
misty waters. 1T must have gathered
very suddenly, for all was clear minute
ago. What is to be done nowl This is
something | was not prepared for, on
such night as this
1T looks troublous, Cap'n, I'll allow
returned Dick y but we're in fort, that's
sartin, and s'pose well have to make
the best cn't'
but what is to be done !-what do
you advise 2 asked Eugene, in a Quick.
excited tone, that indicated some degree
Of alarm.
why, ef you war'nt SO skeered about
the young lady, and it warn't so dead
agIn the orders from head quarters, my
plan would be a cI'ar and easy one-rd
just run over to the kantuck shore, and
tie up
No, no. said Eugene, positively; tina,
will never do, Dick-lhat will never do !
| would not think Of such a thing for a
moment! We must keep in the curren,
hy all means ?
'Ef you can rejoiued the boatman -
but when it gifts so dark as we can't tell
one thing from tother, it'll be powerful
hard to do; and ef we don't run agin a
bar or bank afore morning, in spite OF the
best o us, it'll be the luckiest 90 that ever
had a hand in. See, Cap'n-it's thick
enin5 up fast we can't see eyther bank
at all. nor the water nyther the stars is
gettin' dim, and it looks rs if thar war
cloud all round US
Il see | see + returned Eugene, excl
tedly. 'Merciful Heaven | hope no ac.
clden. will befall us here---and vet nv
heart almost misgives me for this, 1
believe, is the most dangerous mart of our
Journey-tae vicinity where most Of our
boats have been captured by the savages.'
Saying this, Eugene FASTENED below,
where he found the other boatman sleep
ing so soundIy as TO require considerable
effort, on his part, to wake them At
last, getting them fairly reused, he in
formed them, almost in a whisper, for he
did not care TO disturb the others, that a
heavy fog had suddenly arisen, and he
wished their presence on deck immediate.
! ly.
A fog, Cap'n (? exclaimed one, in a
tone which indicated that he comprehen-
ded the peril with the word.
flush q returned Eu0ena i,lara "a mo