St. Mary's beacon., 1858-05-13
TOWN MD. THURSDAY lI0RNIN6isfAY 1s 1865 c.. q,


eye for single instant met hers. She might
herself have seen it--perhaps she did-but
there was no corresponding glow On her own
bright pretty face, as she inquired, I'm the
calm, digniied tone Of one having the right TO
put the question, and who might also have
been aware of the inequality of position be-
tween herself and him she addressed
"Engene, l. everything prepared for our de-
parture? 1t will-not do for our boat to spring
a leak again, as it did coming down the Kama
wha-for it will not be safe for us, i am told.
to touch either shuFe between the different forts
aud tVadihg-posts on mar route this side Of our
tletkinatIna, .tla Falls eT tfse OlsiosssA
NJ. INDEED" rcjoincd her .atint, quickly
1T viii be as much as your lives are worth to
venture a foot from the main current Of the
Ohio-fur moss reached us only the other day
that many boats had been attacked this spring,
and several lost, with all on board
No one feeis more concerned a bout the safe
passage OF Miss Bertrand tiIan myself" replied
Eugene in deferen:iai tone; and since our
arrival here, have left nothing undone that
thought might possibly add u her security
AID comfort"
That is truc, to my personal knowledge"
yined ia the uncIc Of Blanche; land ] thank
yuu, 4Ir. Fairfax, III behalf Of nv fair kinswo-
l'ihIi' lI!NiS wiz, pSii'tJSS lC NIIS'tCd; bC
4raat danger. so long as yon keep in the cur
rc.It; but vour watch must nUa lie neglected
for single m3mcnt, either night or day and
do not, most solenly charge and warn you
Under any circumstances, or Un any pretcnce
Whatsoever, suffer yourselves to be decoyed to
either Shore"
Il hope We understand orr duty better,
Colonel" said one Of the men, respectfully.
Il doubt il not, ," replied the commander Of
the Point Il believe YOU arc ali faithful and
true men, q ypu would not Ecve been selected
by the agent OF Colonel Bertrand, for taking
Down more precious freight than YOU ever
carried hcforc. iut still tie wisc,t and the best
nf men hare lost their lives by giving ear to
the most earnest appeals of humanity. You
understand what mean? White men, appa-
rcnly in The greatest distress, viii hail your
boat, represent themselves rs having Just escaped
from the Indians, and beg of you, for the love
of God, in the most piteous tones. to come t.
their relief; but turn deaf ear to thcm-:u
each and all of thenl-cven should You know
the pleaders to be Of your own kin; for in sHch
:, case Your own brother might deceive you-
not wiifully and voluntarily, perhapS--but be-
cause of being goadcCl on by the savagcs them
selves concealed Yes such things have been
known ~ one friend being thus used to- lure
another to his destruction and 81 be cautious,
! yigilaut, brave and true, and may the good God
| keep you all from harm!'
! AS he finished speaking. Blanche proceeded
t. take an aticctiunate 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 dangerous portion of long an,i
perilous journey.
The father of blanche, Colonel Philip Ber-
trand, was a native of Virginia, and descon-
dant Of one of the Huguenot refugees who lied
! from their native land after the revocation oI
the edict of Nautz in 1868 He had been an
officer of some note during thd Revolution
warm political and personal friend of the au,
thor of the Declaration of Independence-anG
a gentleman who had always stood high in the
esteem of bis associates and cotcmporares.
Though at one time a man of wealth. Colo.
mel Bertrand had lost much. and suffered much
through British invasion; and when, shortly
after the close of the war he had met with {:
few more serious revcrses. he had been flin I,
accept Il grant of land. near tie Falls Of thC
Ohio, now Louisville rendered him by Nir.
ginia. which then held jurisdiction over tn,
:. entire territory now constituting the State O
Kentucky.
+ The grant had decided the Colonel upo,
secking his new possessions and building up /
new home in the then Far West. and as hr
wife had insisted upon accompanying him OF
his eirst tour he had aSsented to her desire, OF
condition that Blanche should he left among
her friends, till such time as place could bt
prepared which might i'll SOME degree be con
sidcrcd fit abode for one SO carefully ant
tcndcrly reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone with he
parents but on this point her father had heel
MISUNDERSTANDING that she would have t,
remain at the East till he should see proper I,
send for her and as he was a m.u of positive
character and rigid discipEnarian, the matte
had been settled without argument
When Colonel Bertrand removed to tn
West, Eugene Fairfax, as VIC lave seen, ac
companie! him and coming of age shortl,
after. he had accepted the liberal oifer of hi
noble bcEeiactor, 10 remain with hiui in tin
capacity OF private secretary and Confidential
agent. On taking possession OF his grant, IL,
Colonel had almost immediately erected a fort
and Offered such inducements to settlers AS t,
speedily collect around him quite a little com
mrnIitv-of which, as a matter Of course, h,
became the head and chief aad to supply til,
wants of his own family and others and in
crease his gains in legitilnatr Y ay, he lac
opened store, and filled it with goAls from
the Eastern martS. which goods weTe trans
ported by land over the mountains II
he Kanawha. and thence by ha;er to tht
Falls of the Ohio. whence their removal t.
Fort Bertrand became an easy matter I,
purchase and ship these goods, and deliver
package of letters to friends in the. Fast, Eu.
gene had been thrice dispatchc,!-his thirt
commission also extending to the esevf,ing' o.
the beautiful hciTess, with her servants TO hel
new home This ldst' commission had been s.
far executed at the time chosen f,r tie opening
ot our story. a to bring the different parties
/ 70 the mouth of the great Kanawha, whence
the reader has seen them slowly iuating of
upon the still. CLASSY t1som Of the belle d
/ rivers"
/ Tie dav, which was an auSpicioUs one,
passed without anything occurring worthy OF
/ note. until near four o'clock, when. as Blanche
was standing on the fore part of the deck
/ gazing at the lovely scene which surrounded
| her. she saw seemingly flying body suddenly
leave limb Of n gigantic tree, WHOSE mig ty
, -i7s Gas .;--sa-.sg4-1 .l -s.f.. fr.-S.