The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-05-13

1 ofGod, ia the most pitsous tones. 10 come
their relief; but turn deaf ear 10 them
each and oil OF them even should you know Il
plesders to be Of your own kin for In such
case your own brother might decisive yoa--n,
wiifuiiy aud Voluntarily, perhaps--but bsoas.
concealed. Yes. such this heys heen
~ one friend being thsa
TO his destruction and
brave and true, and mai 155
| you all from HARM -
| Az he flushed speaking. l. II pecceede
to take an a6cctionate leave Of I'll, rscsivin
many tender msssage for her parents fror
| those who held them In love and vensrstten
ana the boat swung out; and began to doa
down with the current, now fairly entered up
on the most dangerous portion Of . long IN,
perilous journey.
The father Or Blsnchs, Colonel Philip Der
trsnd, was native Of Virginia, and descend
snt Of one Of The Hugusnot refugees, who Ne,
from their native land aflsr the revocation o
the ediet Of Nants In 1896. He had been q
officer Of some note during the Revolution,
warm political and personal friend or
author Of the Declaration Of Indepsnde
and gentleman who had always food
high In the esteem Of his associates and Iktem
poraries..
Though 81 one time . man Of veai.L, Colonel
bertrand had lost much, and suffered much,
through British invasion; and when, shortly
after the close Of The war, he hsd met with !
lev more serious revsrsss, he had bssn fAin Ia
accept grant Of land, nesr the Falls OF the
Ohio; now Louisville, tsndersd him BY Virgins
which then held jurisdiction over the entire
~ - -
lucky.
The grant had decided the Csloasl mo.
seeking bis new possessions and building up 1
new home 10 the then Fer Wet, and . his
wife had Insisted ON accompanying him on hie
FIRST tour, he had asssnted TO her desire, -
condition that Blanche should be len 49,
her frisuds, till such tins - place coul<
prepared which might In some degree b.
sidered ft abode for one 90 carefully and
DERBY reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone va
her par ,nts, but on this point her Il her had
BEEN inexersble declaring that she would have
10 remain q the Rsst gill 10 should go proper
10 send for her; and ~ be vas . man Of posi-
tive character. and rigid disciplinarian, the
matter bad bssn settled without aryumsst.
when Colonel Bertrand removed 70 the West,
Eugene Fairfax, - We have seen, accompanied
him; snd coming Of age shortly afler, be had
scosptsd the liberal offer Of his noble bsnefao-
tor, 10 remain with him il the capacity OF pri-
vsis secretary and confidential agent On tax.
ing possession Of his grant, the Colonel had o.
most Immediately erected fort, and offered
such Inducements to settlers - to speedily
collect around hin quite . little community
OF which, ~ . matter Of course, he became the
head and chief; and to supply the wants Of
his own family and Others, and incrsase his
own gains In legitimate way. be had opssod
. store. and filed II with goods from the Eat
ern marts, which goods we're transported by
land over the mountains Of The Kanswhs and
thence BY water TO the Falls Of the Ohio, when4n
their removal TO Fort Bertrand became An esSy
matter. To purchase and ship these goods, and
deliver . package Of letters TO friends in the
East, Eugene had been thrice dspat chsd--his
Fd commission also extending to the escort
ing Of the beautiful hsiress, with her servants
10 her new home. This LAST commission had
been 90 far executed II the time chose for the
opening Of our story, - TO bring the different
parties 70 the mouth Of the great KAnawha.
whence the reader has seen them slowly float
ing on upon the still. glossy bosom Of the belle
OF rivers
The day. which was an suspicious one, pass
ed without anything occurring worthy of note,
until near four o'clock, when. ~ Blanche Was
standing ON the fore part Of the deck gszing at
The lovely scene which surrounded her, she
~ seemingly flying body suddenly leave
lb OF gigantic tree, whose braches extend
- TAR over the river, aud near which the boat
Was then swsyed by the action Of the current,
md aljght With . crash upon the deck of the
boat, not more than eight feet from her. One
glance sufficed to show her what the object
ri ND In FRI 4 ho IN har
glowing eyes Of huge panther met her gaze.
The suddenness of the shock which this dis
.overy gave her WAS overpowering With q
ieafening shrek she fell upon her knees and
,lasped her hands before her breast The pan
her cronched for his deadly leap. but ere he
'prang. the hunting knife Of Eugene Fairfax
who with the steersman, was the only per
ION on deck besides Blanche,) WAS buried to
he hiN in his side, intiicting severe but not
atal wound The infuriated beast ut once
turned upon Eugene, and deadly struggle
ensued. But it was short one. The polish
d bla 1e Of the knife played back and forth
ike lightning flashes, and ut every plunge II
vas buried to the hilt in the panthers body,
who soon fell TO the deck. dragging the daunt-
ess Eugene with him On seeing her protect
n fall, Blanche uttered another shrek and
ushed to his aid but assistance from stouter
rms Was 1T hand. The boatmen gathered
ound, and the moster wrsliterally hacked
n pieces with their knives and hatchets, and
Eugene covered with blood, WAS dragged from
lndsr his careass. 6upposing him 70 be dead
II MORALLY wounded, Blanche threw her arms
round his neck and gave way to . passionate
'urst Of grief. But he Was not desd--hs was
lot even hurt, with the exception Of few
light scratches. The blood with which he
RS covered vas the panther's mot his own
Tut Blanohs's embrace was his--a priceless
indsx Of her hearts emotions and
hsotiou. II was 10 cover his whole future
fs, ~ will b seen In the progress Of our
tory.
rsAk, dip, and plash Of the stesrman's oar
be boat Of our voysgsrs Was borne along upon
As bosom Of the current, ON the third night Of
10 voyage. The honr was waxing late, aud
'ugsns, the only one astir except the watch. |