Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 205, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1916 — GET ANGRY ‘SPIES’ IN NIGHT CHASE [ARTICLE]

GET ANGRY ‘SPIES’ IN NIGHT CHASE

Weird Gleams of Light on th* Mesa a Puzzle to the Guardsmen. SCOUTS SOLVE THE MYSTERY' Expedition Net* Two Indignant Gentlemen, Who Explain Their Buaineas and Express Their Opinion of “Military Feller*." El Paso, Tex. —Lights on the mesa I Mysterious gleam* that shot through the smothering dark high over th® camps of the state Guardsmen, Fort Bliss and the Bleeping city of El Paao. Two bobbing, flashing shafts of light’ that showed now here, now there —bus always where field glasses on the Mexican side could observe their peculiar movements. Small wonder that the militiamen, newly dumped into a zone of martial atmosphere, were thrilled. Strange, indeed, if the weird lights did not; bring to mind at once the thought of spies lurking in the hills over El Paso and signaling military positions and troop movements to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. For two nights the officers at brigade headquarters camp watched the lights through their glasses. Puzzle* Army Veteran. “If it’s signal work, it’s the strangest I ever saw," said a regular army veteran. “I can't make it out,° There don’t seem to be any sense to It.” “That’s because it’s Mexican,” commented another. “Besides, it may be code.” On the third night a little band of’ was selected, and as “taps” was sounded they started Into the hills to take the trail of the mystery. Scarcely had the scouts left camp when the mysterious lights appeared again over the mesa. Little stabs of light gleamed through the night and were gone, to flash after a bit somewhere else., “If the boys hurry they'll get ’em.” said the officer with the field glasses, observing the play of lights. There followed a tense period of waiting. Then came— Bang! Bang!

Carrying far through the clear air came the staccato of two quick shots. One of the lights wavered a moment and then streaked downward like a falling star. “They’ve got ’em!” exclaimed one of the watchers. "The one that dropped went right down the face of the mesa!” t Half an hour later the sound of shuffling feet told of the return of the scouting expedition. There were other noises. Two other noises, to be exact. Two voices raised In high complaint. “Won’t do you no good!” the sergeant’s voice responded. “Tell all that to the commanding officer.” They cfime Into the circle of light made by the lantern at headquarter* tent. The Mystery Is Solved. “We found ’em right on the mesa, sir,” reported the sergeant “They had lanterns and electric flashlights. When we came we scared ’em. One of ’em started to run. I fired my rifle in the air and he fell over the mesa. But he didn’t fall far." The commanding officer faced the prisoners. Both of them began talking at once. , One of them used Spanish curses with great vehemence and might have been an Indian, a Mexican or a lifelong resident of the desert The other did not need two languages to curse but otherwise answered the same description. “You military fellers think you’re all-fired smart,” he said “Goin r around and arrestin’ peaceable like me and Jake here. We’ve lived in these parts man and boy for nigh to forty years, and we ain’t safe from a lot of fresh young guys who think they own the world because they wear silver dewdads on their collars. I’m Cactus Charlie Peterson and my pardner Is Poisonous Schultz.” “But what were you doing on the mesa?” asked the commanding officer. “We’re prospectors, dag-nab It!” cried Cactus Charles. “And we’ve been prospecting up In them hills at night so we could stay outen the hot sun.” It was very disappointing. But the mystery was solved. “If you find a mine up there come back,” said the commanding officer, “and I’ll buy some stock in the thing.”