Columbus daily courier. [volume] (Columbus, N.M.) 1920-1920, 1920-05-03
SPIN TELLS spiAV AR0uT
liIs CAVAlnN EXPERIENCE
SOAlE tE4Ns AGO

IL NNNL NNNNN| WNNNN||NN IWM NL|"N WV
rrculer part Of the day bathing M
The old dirt tank tina, was supplied
irum n crcaky old windmill On the
Duuhle \ Ranch The sun bad gone
down behind the tops OF the hle
Haichei mountains. hut silli N was
two hours or more before dark.
"Mnrury. you and Jones are on
pairul tonight and you had better
feed mad saddle your horses before
chow. 20 that you can yet away on
hmA' Sergeant Alien. commander
of the little garrison of Twelve men.
including himself and the cook. war
q very strict noncummissioncd o.
ncer and when w charge Of a DE-
lnchmeni was sure % carry out
every little detail ~ his orders.
Captain Roberts. commanding the
troop. had told him Ia keep two.
men ON the line from dark until
daylight. and this order with Ser.
grant Allen meant from dark until
daylight
Privates hurry aud Jones had
lust returned from the picket line
when The cook stepped outside the
lille ranch shack which had bern
utilized as the cook shack and
yelled. Come and get a."
The men we're ali seated around
he roods boxes and boards which
they called their table. quietly eat.
inr their sumner Sergeant Alien
siepped outside and was siitlnk on
the doorstep with his plate In his
hand Ne observed a horseman
coming from the direction OF the
tronp. which was stationed fifteen
miles west Of the location Of the
outpost.
"nrine me the glass. Ross. | see
some one coming. I took out the
glasses and the sergeant was only
a second IN recognizing the horse.
man 10 be Private Cooper. the trnop
commanders orderly. He was com.
ing az fast a. his horse could carry
him.
Ne rode up and dismounled,
handing Sergeant Allen a letter
from Captain Roberts. He read Il
and then passed IL on TO the rest
OF "a. q
Sergeant Allen: Mexican bandits
under the command 81 pnncho Villa
crossed into the United States last
night and rnided the town OF Co
lumbus. killing a score or more ol
civilians and soldiers. The 18Th
Cavalry chased them back acros.
the line. and | have been informed
that they came your direction. In
struci your patrol 10 be- on the alert
tonight. and II you ecnounier them
send messenger Immediately. Cap
tain Roberts.
The pair0l left Just as the sun
was leaving the tops OF the highest
peaks Of the Zig Ratchet. III yo,
see anything unusual give MS word
a. quickly a. possible" Sergeant
Allen instructed as the men rode
away. Boys. you had better rel
Ia bed Us som a. possible and gel
all the 'sicep YOU can, for you know
there Il a chance Of being called
out. WIN il on gnanl lonightg"
n am, responded. There wrrs
only Ten nri,ates la Tile detachment
The patrol. having gone out. lefl
only eight men. and as all had I,
take turns at doing patrol duty. The
sergeant had agreed that mar
could Do r. guard from dark
until midnight and the other sever
men could divide the time eouall,
until daylight. II happened 10 h.
my turn 10 do the six hours.
A. darkness settled over our lilll,
camp The men began 10 nIrn ia
and I huckled on my bell and six
shooter and picked up nv rifle. anl
look a walk around the nickel line
THE horses were quietly eatins
their hay. ana a-pparentlg enjoylns
llhe COO, breeze after me moi sprln.
day. since tho sun had hid far,
for the nieht clouds md begun 4
I, sail merrily through lhe air. ~,
u.oon 90 hrlghi tho,,.h ~. -.