The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-10-11

What the blazes do I care about
their ball playing? Tell 'em to come
in, and show their excuse for living!"
Brockett and Solano, two handsome,
athletic youngsters, somewhat frayed
as to dress, saluted the old warhorse
with becoming gravity. Brockett drew
from his clothing a fiat package, and
handed it to the colonel who received
it with a quizzical smile.
Never mind any explanations,
said the old soldier. Il have been
given a little advance explanations
concerning you. You are the secret
service messengers who were to
bring me certain orders and instruc-
tions in a cipher that no foreign spy
could translate without the aid Of a
chisel. If you got through and
brought me the papers safely, | was
to learn the cOnfounded cipher, and
adopt it for future correspondence. If
you didn't get through | was to re-
port the fact with deep regrets. Cor
rect, isn't it?"
Yes, colonel.
Have much trouble getting here7"
"A trifle, colonel"
The old fellow chuckled. "A tribe.
eh? I'll bet it was more than a triie.
Good game boys. both of you This
package contains orders that may mean
a lot to our general foreign policy, and
at least two governments that | could
mention would give a good deal to get
the key. Tell me about your trip, and
what they tried to do to you"
The boys, thus encouraged, told the
veteran the full details of their jour
neys, while the old man alternately
laughed and stormed. When the re-
cital was finished, Colonel Lewis shook
hands with them heartily, and the
youngsters knew that the grim old
hero was their friend for life
"Tll have to devote my attention to
this cipher code of yours for the next
two hours" said the colonel. You
boys will mess with me today, hope?"
1--WE must be on our way as quickly
as possible" Brockett negatived
There is still some margin in our
time-limit. but we would like to round
I'D everything as rapidly as possible
After delivering these papers to you,
our orders take us TO Rancho Nogal,
on the other side Of the Rio Grande."
Rancho Nogal, eh?" And the col.
onePs eyebrows were raised in sur
prise and Interrogation. Message to
Gomez Esteral, | suppose?"
"Yes, colonel"
"You know who Gomez Esteral may |
be, Of course?"
NO, sir. We didn't find out any
thing about him. All we know is that
we are to deliver him a'message, and
that was all we cared to know"
The colonel beamed with apprecia-
ton.
You boys will make good soldiers
vet. The first essential of a good sol
der is to obey orders without asking
questions, and that, l see, you have
already learned to do. Under the cir
think will give you a
little information concerning Gomez
may help you to realize
he Importance Of your final mission"
The boys sat down and hitched
heir chairs near to the colonel, who
ipoke in a low, impressive tole, while
lis young hearers fairly gasped at
he revelations that we're now unfold
ID to their attentive ears.
Gomez Esteral" said Colonel Lew
s, 'is probably the brainiest and most
ambitious man between the Rio
Irande and Cape Horn. His plans
re boundless, his talents those Of a
Napoleon When Diaz was over.
brown, only few months ago, Gomez
Isteral hoped to gain a high place in
he new government Of Mexico-a po-
ition that would serve as a stepping
tone in his ambitions. Disappointed
n this, he, has been raising men for a
lew revolution, and the fighting which
las already taken place between his
nen and the government forces has
urnished the excuse for the cavalry's
eing stationed on the river, exactly
S was the case when the insurree-
ion against Porfirio Diaz broke out.
IF Gomez Esteral and the Mexican
overnment were simply fighting out
heir troubles to a finish, there would
e no special activity, either on the ;
art of the United States or Of any
oreign powers. You probably thought {
a little singular, didn't you, that
here should be such marked interest {
hown in your messages and cipher ,
ode? OF course you did. If It had
cen merely case of guarding from :
er, or maintaining an even break be- {
veen the Mexican factions, neither I
ermany nor Japan would have cared :
hoot in Halifax about you or the /
Dcuments with which you had been !
atrusted." 7