White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-06-15

w ILL
from long experience In forest-hunt.
Ing and fighting, where the fear OF
Indians called for q minimum amount
of noise and the maximum Of &C
curacy, and where powder and lead
were so precious that small bore,
long barrel piece was the only gun q
man could carry any distance.
A sergeant was mildly curious
about the little hinged box in the
stock Of the gun where l kept the
creased patches of linen. proudly
explained the virtue Of the patch, and
he impatiently urged:
you're a proper man. Put away
that piece and enlist and learn how
to fight"
u am to serve as q scout"
you're master dark of skin for an
Englishman," he remarked, his dull
gaze suddenly growing suspicious.
"My people were English. l was
born in Virginia"
you're black enough for French.
man."
81 was taken for Frenchman at
Duquesne this spring."
He grunted and walked away.
had forgotten him and was starting
to visit the Iroquois camp when a
babel of voices from the direction of
the parade ground attracted my at
tention. A score of soldiers, released
from drill, were bearing down on me
In very businesslike manner. My
acquaintance, the sergeant, was lead.
ing them. They grouped around me and
the sergeant said:
"We believe you're spy from the
French"
'Then report 1t to your superiors.
But the man who calls me spy is q
liar"
dropped my long rifle In the hollow
Of my left arm and swung 1t about
and enlarged the circle, and warned:
"It'll be easy for you men to murder
me. but I'll take at least one of you
with me. II you honestly believe me
a spy, report me. But hands Off"
The fellows lacked nothing In cour.
age and | believe they would have
rlsked closing In on me II not for the
arrival Of horseman. he looked
scarcely out of bis teens, although
only year younger than l, or twenty.
three. The horse, skillfully handled,
swept a cleared space before me, and
the rider sternly demanded:
whats this confusion mean? am
Colonel Washington, aide de camp to
General Braddock."
OF course recognized him the mo-
ment glimpsed him. The sergeant
humbly explained:
"We believe, sir, he is French SPY.
We came to take him before our cap
tain"
He dismounted and took sharp
look at my dark face, and after mo.
ment cried:
"Ha! Mr.. Brond, of Alexandria.
Webster Brond, whom l haven't seen
these three years. What's this about
you being spy?"
"lts their imagination, Colonel.
reported to the council in Alexandria,
after playing spy for the English at
Duquesne. General Braddock himself
will remember me-"
"Then 1t was you who was before
the council" he cried and thrust out
his hand. II arrived after you had
left and in the confusion / did not
hear your name"
Turning to the soldiers he said:
'This man is loyal subject of his
majesty and he has done the king and
the colonies excellent service. Be
more cautious another time"
They were glad to withdraw. Col
onel Washington sat down on the log
and motioned me to sit beside him and
asked:
Scan you tell me what you learned
while at Duquesne? I'm hungry for
news of the country, and I've had no
chance to talk with his excellency,
| Governor Dinwiddfe. l was lndis-
posed and tardy in rejoining the
army"
So repeated In detail, and various
things Braddock had not had the pa.
tience to listen to. When l ended, be
thoughtfully mused:
"There's but one thing to guard
against-a surprise attack on the way
If we can avoid that, we'll have Du
quesne just as surely as we're now
camping on this creek. Where would
they be likely to lay an Ambassador
"You believe they'll lay one?"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)