Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-05-20

| and warn you, under any circumstances, OF u
any pretence whatsoever, suffer yourselves TO b.
deceived 10 either sbore!"
| al hope we understand our duty better, Colo
nell" said one of the men respectfully.
| 81 doubt il moi, ;" replied the commander OF the
Point; ~ believe YOU are all faithful and true men
or you would not have been selected by the agen
Of Colonel Bertrand, for taking down more pre-.
cious freight than you ever carried before: but st
the wisest and the best Of men have lost their lives
by giyn ear 10 the most earnest appeals OF human
| ity. You understand what mean? White men
apparently in the greatest distress, will hail your
boat, represent themselves as having just escaped
from the Indians, and beg Of you, for the love OF
God, in the most pitcous tones, TO come to their
/ relief; but turn deaf ear to thern-to each and
all of them-even should you know the pleaders
TO be Of your own kin; for in such cases your own
brother might deceive you-not wilfully and VOL
unfairly, perhaps-but because OF being goaded Oh
! by the sayages, themselves concealed. Yes, such
things have been known as one friend being thus
used TO lure another TO his destruction; and so be
| cautious, vigilant, brave and true, and may the
good God keep you all from harm"
As he finished speaking, Blanche proceeded to
take an affectohate 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 10 float down the with the
current. now fairly entered upon the most danger
Gus portion Of long and perilous journey.
The father of Blanche, Colonel Philip Bertrand.
was native of Virginia, and descendant of one
OF the Huguenot refugees, who fled from their ma
tive land after the revocation Of the edct of NantZ
in 1865. He had been an officer of some note du-
ring the Rsyolution-a warm political and per-
sona friend of the author of the Declaration of In
depence.-and gentleman who had always stood
high in the esteem of his associates and cotempo-
raries.
Though at one time man of wealth, Colonel
h,l Ia
British lnvasion and when shortly after the close
of the war, he had met with a few more serious
reverses, he had been fain TO accept grant Of
land, near the Falls of the Ohio, now Louisville,
rendered him by Virginia, which then held juris-
diction over the entire territory now constituting
the State of Kentucky.
The grant had decided the Colonel upon seeking
his new possessions and building up a new home
in the then Far West, and as 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 time
place could be prepared which might IN some
degree be considered fit abode for one so care
fully and tenderly reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone with her pa
rents but on this point her father had been inexo
rable-declaring that she would have TO remain at
the East till he should see proper 10 send for her;
and as he was a man of positive character, and
rigid disciplinarian, the matter had been settled
without argument.
When Colonel Bertrand removed TO the West.
Eugene Fairfax, as we have seen, accompanied
him: and coming of age shortly after, he had ac-
cepted the liberal offer OF his noble benefactor 10
remain with him in the capacity of private secre-
tary and confidential agent. On taking possession
of his grant, the Colonel had almost Immediately
erected fort. and offered such inducements to set
tiers as TO speedily collect around him quite little
community-of which, as matter of course, he
became the head and chief; and 10 supply the
wants of his own family and others, and lncre5He
his gains in legitimate way, he had opened store
and filled it with goods from the Eastern Inarts,
which goods were transported by land over the |
mountains of the Kanawha, and thence by water |
to the Falls of the Ohio, whence their removal 10
Fort Bertrand became an easy matter. TOpurchase |
and ship these goods, and deliver package of let
tiers to friends in the East, Eugene had been thrice
third commission also extending |
to the escorting of the beautiful heiress, with her
servants, to her new home. This last commission
had been so far executed at the time chosen for the
openinr of our story 10 bring the different par
ties TO the mouth of the great Kanawha, whence
he reader has seen them slowly floating off upon
he still, CLASSY bosom of '.the belle of rivers"
The day, which was an auspicious one, passed
without anything occurring worthy of note. I'M
il near four O'Clock, when, as Blanche was
standing on the forc part of the deck gain. at
he lovely scene which surrounded her, she saw
/ seemingly flying body suddenly leave limb of
gigantic tree, (whose mighty branches extended !
far over the river, and near which the boat was
hen swayed by the action Of the currently, and ,
light with crash upon the deck of the boat
,ot more than eight feet from her. One glance ,
ufficed to show her what the object was, and to
reeze the blood in her veins. The glowing eyes
Il huge panther met her gaze. The sudden
less of the shock which this discovery gave her :
vas empowering. With deafening shrek she ;
ell upon her knees and clasped her hands before .
Ter breast. The panther crouched for his deadly {
esp, but ere he sprang, the hunting knife of !
eugene Fairfax (who, with the steersman was {
he onIy person on deck besides Blanche), was j
urled 10 the ht in his side, lnhicting a severe r
ut not fatal wound. The Infatuated beast at
nee turned upon Eugene, and deadly struggle $
nsued. But il was short one. The polished q
lade of the knife played back and forth like G
ghtning flashes, and at every plunge it was bur- :
II 10 the hilt in the panther's body, who soon
III 10 the deck, dragging the dauntless Eugene
18th him. On seeing her protector fall, Blanche 4
tered another shrek and rushed 10 his aid: but
ssstance from s'outeT arms was at hand. The
oatrnen gathered round. and the savage monster
'as literally hacked in pieces with their knives d
nd hatchets, and Eugene, covered with blood,
7as dragged from under his carcass. Surprising
i'm TO be dead or MORALLY wounded, Blanche {,
rev her arms aIonnd his neck and gave way TO s.
he was not even hurt, with the execution of
.w slight scratches. The blood with which he
-as covered was the panther's, not his own. But
anche's embrace was his--a priceless treasure
n index of her hearts emotions and Affection
was TO color his whole future life, as will be
zen in the progress of our story.
Slowly and silently, save the occasional creak.
ip, and plash Of the steersman's oar, the boat of
lr voyagers was borne along upon the bosom of I
lie current, on the third night Of the VOYAGE
he hour was waxing late, and Eugene, the only o
ne astir except the atch, was suddenly startled b
rough hand being placed upon his shoulder, f.
,companied by the words, in The gruf voice of b
e boatmaD: n
81 say, Cap'n, here's troubled,
"What is it, Dick?" inquired Eugene, starting !
his feet. X
" Don't you see thsr's heavy fog rising, that'll
on kiver US up so thick that we won't be able =
tell white man from a nigger?" replied the
,atman-Dick Winter by name-a tall, bony,
uscular, athletic specimen of his class. 7
=: Good heaven! so there isl' exclaimed Eugene,
okng off upon the already misty waters. sIt a.
list have gathered very suddenly, for all was II
ear minute ago. What is TO be done now?- n,
his Is something was not prepared for, on such y
nightas this" :,
at looks troublous, Cap'n, III allow" re- "
rned Dick" but we're in fort that's sartin, and
,,nose we'll have 10 make the best on,tv OF