St. Mary's beacon., 1858-05-13


hranclsS xshded Car over tie river. and near
which "a Naas pas then swayed by the actiun
of she ens &c and alight with a crash u,asn
the daAls II klc boak, not more than eight ket
from bet One gtance snfiicel to show her
what tlle 1iieet was. and 10 freeze the. blood in
her vein Ilse glowing eyes Of Q huge pag-i
ther nsck Aes gaze. The snddsnneSs of the
shock this discovery gave her was. over.
paweEin3 With ageatRing shrek. she fell
apon hez klsees anasclas.Al her hands before
her brkea The panther 0rouchcd for his
deadly So bat etc he sspFang, the hunting
knit hllS,ss saiSIax zsahe with Che steexa-
8FsEfl. " = lie oniv$ pcrsoa ON Ucck bcSieEcs
Blnnchel, wa: buried to the hilt in his side,
intfctng a severe but not fatal wound. The
in:uriatetl beast at once turned upon Eugene,
and a deadly struggle ensuei. But it was
short one. The polished blade of the knife
played back and forth like lightning flashes,
and ut every plunge it was buried TO the hilt il
the panther's body. who sJon fell to the deck.
dragging the dauEteSs Eugene with him. On
seeing her protector fall Blanche uttered
another shrek ard rushed I" lis aid but as
sistance from stouter arms was at hand. Tic
boatmen gathered round, and the savage mon
ster was literally hacked in pieces with their
knives and hatchets, and Eugene. covered with
blood, was dragged from under his carcass.
Supposing him TO be dead or niortally wound
cd, Blanche threw hes arms around his neck
and gave way TO 4 Passionate burst OF grief
But he was not dead-hc was not even hurt
with the exception Of few slight scratches.
| The blood with which be WAS covered was the
paIther's, not his own But BlancIles cEI-
brace was his-a priceless trcasurc-an index
Of her hearts emotions and affections. Ii Was
70 nClDr : :,
! the progress OF our story.
| Slowly and silently, save the occasional
Creak, dip, and plash of tie s:ecsgnan's car,
the boat of orr voya rcrs Was borne along upon
the bosom Of the cl.rIeNt, on the third night
Of the voyage. The hour WAS waxing late,
aud Eugene, the only one astir except the
watch, was suddenly startled, by rouah Land
being placed upon his shoulder, accompanied
by the words, in the gruiT voice Of the boat
man:
Il say, Cap'n here's trouble"
What is ii, Dick - inquired Eugcne, start
ing to Lis feet.
Don't you sec thar's heavy fng rising
! th&tll soon kiver Us " So thick that we Won
! lie able 70 tell a white man from o nigger -
replied the boatm&n-Dick Winter by 1Iamc-
tall, bony, muscular, athletic specimen OF l4!s
! class.
Good heaven! so there is" exclaimed Eu-
gene, looking off upon the already misty wa
ters. "Nmust have gathered very suddenly
4or all was clear a minute agc. What is to be
done now? THIS is something ] was not pre-
pared for, on su.h night as tLis >
''It looks trouhous, Cap'n, I'll allow" re-
turned Dick - but we're in for't, that's sartin
and s'pose we'll have to make the best on'. .
But what is TO be done ?-wLat 10 you al
wise ?" asked Eugene, in quick, excited tone
that indicated some degree Of alarm.
'Why, ef you war'pt SO skccred about tie
young lady, and it warn't 50 dead agin the o.
ders from head quarters, my plan would be /;
cl'ar and easy onc-Pd just run over to tx
kaiutuck shere, and tie mp
''No, no." said Eugene, positively; "that
will never DO, Dick-that will never do, !
wolld not think Of such thing for q moment
We must keep in the current 10y ali means ~
! ''Ef you can," rejoiucd the boatman; sbu
when it gifts SO dark as we can't tel one thing
from tother, it'll be powerful hard t. do; an,
ci we don't run agin oar or hank alore morn
ing in spite Of the best . us, it'l bc the luck
Iicst 90 that ever had a hand in. See, Cap'l
its thickening up fast we can't see evthc
bank at all, nor the water nyther the stars il
gettin' dim, aud it looks is If thar war q clout
all around US"
/" / see! | see" returned Eugene, excitcdly
"Nerciful Heaven | hope no accident will be
fall us here-and yet my heart almost misgive,
me for this, | believe, is tl.c most dangcrou
part of our f,urHcy-the vicinity where mos
% our boats have been captured by the sava
ges"
Saying this. Eugene fastened below. wher
he found the other hntmcn sleeping So sound
ly as to require considerable effort on his part
t. wake them. At last getting them iairl,
reused. he informed tAeIn. almost in whis
per- for he did not care t. disturb the others
, thut heavy fog had Suddenly arisen. and h
wished their presence Dn decls. immediately.
a fog. Gp'n :" exclaimed one, in ton
which indicated tl:at he cOmprrhcnded tn
peril with the word.
''EIush ."returrcl Eugene there is no ne
ccssity for waking the others and having
) scene Upl and i9liow me, wishcut word !.
He glided back Ia the deck. and was almus
Immediately ioined by the boa;men. to whom
he briefly made known his hopes and fears.
They thought like their com panion, that tn
) boat would be safest if made fast TO an over
hanging limb of the kentucky shore: bu
frankly admitted that this could not nov b,
done without difficulty aRd danger, and tina
there was a possibility OF keeping the current
'.Then make that possibility a certainty. anc
it shall be the best nights work you ever per
formed !" rejoired Eugene, in quick, excitet
tone r..'
Wen do the best we can. Cap'n," was y,
response; '.but no man can be sartin Of IL.
current of this here crooked stream il. fagg!
night" -
/. 4 long silence followe,l-tle voyagers slow
. ly drifting down througha misty darkness i'm,
pcaetrable to the eye-when, suddenly, CCI
young commander, who was standing near the
box. felt the extended branch Of an 1vcrhang-
iug limb silently brush his face. He started
F. with an exclamation Of alarm, and at the same
moment the bUatn.an ON the fi3i.t called ont:
! Quick. here, boys. we're aZin tie shore, as
sure as death ~
! Tl,en followed scene oe hl.rrie:l and aux-
ious confusion, the voices of the three boatrlel:
niingl;ug together in lo1d, qEick, excited
tones.
/ Push OF the bow :" cried one
"Quick altogether, now. over with her. "
shouted another.
-rsf r...s..l...1a f- Fg... b. z--. Ia ss-. . E..