The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-02-08
A UNIQUE
CHALLENGE
By F. A. Mitchell

Blakeslee, the commander of one or
these posts, and Major Truesdale, the
surgeon. Blakeslee was very over
bearing man. He was a good fighter.
and as he was small in stature and or
swarthy complexion he acquired the
sobriquet of little black god Of war.
A surgeon in the army cannot be
called a noncombatant, for he must
expose himself to fire the same as the
fighters. Indeed, he has more need Of
nerve, because, while he is buOyed
by the excitement of battle, he must
do his work with a cool head. Never
theless Colonel BlakeSlee in order to
be annoying to his inferior was always
making innuendos as to the unWarllke
work of the medical department.
Truesdale was obliged to bear these
slurs because he had no recourse
against a superior officer except pre-
ferring charges, and in his case there
were no charges to be brought forth
worthy of the consideration Of court
martial.
There Is nothing more CALLING than
the petty slurs of one under whose
control is the subject of the persecu-
ton. Truesdale suffered the cOlOnePs
innuendoes as men will endure a spat-
tering Of bullets coming from shelter
they are not permitted to move upon.
The surgeon was man Of great equi-
poise, and no one noticed from his de-
meanOr that he was annoyed. Never
theless there was in his breast smOi-
dering fire. He would have challenged
his commander to end their disagree
ment at the point of a pistol, but
challenge of a superior by an inferior
would be mutiny. Besides, dueling
has never been recognized in the Unit
ed States army, and without a more
tangible cause than the one in this
case a challenge would have reacted
upon the surgeon.
The colonel. not observing any eff
feet from his slurs, began to infiict
upon his subordinate acts of petty
tyranny for which any superior officer
can find causes without hunting for
them The doctor bore them all with
out complaint, but fire was ready to
burst forth at any moment.
Then came one Of those frequent
breaks Of the Indians from their res
ervation, and the command was or
dered out to drive them back. One
afternoon the little force of white men
were confronting thrice their number
of Indians The colonel did not feel
warranted in attacking them, especial
~ as he was expecting any moment
to be REINFORCED. While he was con-
sulting with his officers Truesdale rode
up to the group and, saluting his com
mander, said:
Colonel, if you will ride out to the
skirmish line with me l think 1 can
show you a weak point in the Indians
formation which, if attacked, will sep
arate them and result in scattering
them"
Now, the skirmish line was the edge
of a wood, and the skirmishers were
all concealed behind trees, the Indians
occupying another wood beyond
clearing. Everybody knew that a ride
on the skirmish line meant probable
death, and every one who heard the
surgeons proposition knew that it was
a covered challenge. No one knew
this better than the "little black god
of war" Turning his horses head,
the doctor riding beside him, he gal
Hoped to the edge Of the wood. There
he drew rein, but Truesdale rode right
out into the clearing.
They were greeted by scattered bull
lets from the Indians, but the distance
was considerable, and as they kept
moving neither was hit Truesdale
now assumed the lead, the colonel
keeping abreast of him. The two men,
watched by their comrades, rode to-
ward the center of the clearing. Ev-
cry now and again a white puff of
smoke would appear on the edge Of the
opposite wood, followed by a singing
bullet The surgeons arm fell limp,
but he rode on Thicker came the
balls, but neither fiinched. Then the
doctors horse was struck, but his
rider spurred him on Reaching the
center of the clearing, he turned by
the flank and rode between the lines.
The firing lulled for a few minutes.
The Indians did not understand this
strange performance.
Then suddenly, just as the two Off
GERS were nearing a clump of trees
which would have protected them, the
OlonePs horse was struck by a shot
behind the fore leg and pitched for
ward dead His rider fell under him
and was stunned
The doctor was now face to face with
his own especial work, that of succor-
Ing the wounded on the field of battle
D1smounting, he extricated his COM
mander, lifted him on to the living
horse and supported him while he
made his way to the trees. and the two
combatants in this strange duel were
sheltered
When the Indians were driven back
on to their reservation and all were
again settled to the humdrum of garri-