{p. 53}

As I put the historic reports file in my brief case, Purdy handed me a
letter from an investigator named Hilton, who had been working in the
Southwest. I skimmed over his letter.

Hilton had heard of some unusual night sightings in New Mexico. The
story had been hushed up, but he had learned some details from a pilot
at Albuquerque.

One of these mysterious "flying lights" had been seen at Las Vegas, on
December 8, 1948--just one month before Mantell was killed in
Kentucky. It was too dark to make out the shape behind the light, but
all witnesses had agreed on its performance. The thing had climbed at
tremendous speed, its upward motion shown by a bright green light.
Though the green glow was much brighter than a plane's running light,
all plane schedules were carefully checked.

"I think they were trying to pin it on a jet fighter," the Albuquerque
pilot told Hilton. "But there weren't any jets near there. Anyway, the
thing climbed too fast. It must have been making close to nine hundred
miles an hour."

The Air Force had also checked balloon release times--apparently just
for the record, since no balloon could even approach the saucer's
terrific ascent. Again, they drew a blank.

"From the way this was hushed up," Hilton commented, "they seem to be
worried about this group of sightings. I've heard two reports that the
F.B.I. is tied into the deal somehow, but that's as far as I can get."