The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-11-17


more, each was imparting all he knew, or
thought he knew, about the ghost Of San
/ Miguel Canon. Their fellow countryman
I new to the locality, seemed properly i'm
I pressed. That il was the ghost Of Carlos
4 Martinez, murdered nearly hundred years
| ago at the biz bend in the canon, was con-
ceded by all; but there was dispute as TO
whyit showed itself only on Friday nights,
and why 1t was never seen by any but
Mexican. Never had "Gringo" seen it.
The Mexican stranger was appealed to: Did
this not prove that the murder had been
done by Mexican2 The stranger affected
i to consider the question.
\ Martin surveyed them with outward i'm
passivcness and inward contempt. real
ist, a cynic, and an absolute genius with
Colts AS, he was well known along the
border for his daredevil exploits and reck-
less courage The brainiest men CT the
Secret Service, Lewis, Thomas, Sayrc, and
even Ola Jim Lane, the local chief, whose
fingers at FL Paso felt every vibration along
the Rio Grandc, were not as well known
except to those who had seen the irside Of
| government penitentiaries-a they were
quite satisfied to be eclipsod But the
Service knew Of the ghost, as it knew every
thing pertaining to the border, and gave it
no thought. Martin once in a spirit Of
! savage denial had wasted tie better part OF
several successive Friday nights in the San
Miguel, but to no avail Wien tod that
the ghost showed itself only to Mexicans he
had shrugged his shoulders eloquertly and
laughed, also cloquently. "A Greaser," he
replied is one hall fear ard superstition,
and the other half is imagination There
ain'tno ghosts, but know the CyeaSers have
seen en-. If ever sec one and he keeps on
being one after shoot I'll either believe in
EN-, or quit drinking, Z
He was flushed, and restless with devil
\ try, His sixth glass always made lin so;
and tonight there was an added stimulus.
4 He believed the strange Mexican to he Juan
\ Alvarez, who was 50 clever that the Govern
ment had never been able to convict him.
Alvarez was fearless and Martin, eager TO
test him, addressed the group with tie blunt
terseness for whic lie was famed.
Greascrs are cowards," he asserted,
G. city, and VI, a smile which invited
excitement
The group WIS shocked into. silence,
b quickly followed By unrest and words.
! Martin did not move q muscle, the smile
1 was set but between tie liali-closed cyelids
crouchcd Combat on its toes The Mexi-
leans knew it WIS there without looking for
/ 1.-THE tone of his voice, the caressing purr
J! Of his words, and his unnatural languor
] were signs well known to them. Not
criminal sneaking back from voluntary
banishment in Mexico, who had seen those
signs ever forgot them II nc lived.
de Sehor ees nistak, camc the reply,
As quiet and caressing as the words which
provoked it, The strange Mexican was
standing proudly and locking into the
squirting eyes with only srayness Of face
and tigerish Iitheness to tell what he felt.
None ever go through he Can Miguel
Z after dark on Friday" parrod Martin,
through his smile.
II 60 tro de canon mex Friday night
Eef I do, then you max apology to me-"
The Mexican stepped forward: i TAX
thcss gloov an leev Get at de bic ben Tor
you to fn'," he said, tapping enc Of Mar-
tins gauntlets which lay on the par "You
Gecv me ect bafo' go2
Yes, at nine o'clock tomorrow night,
Martin replied.
The Mexican, cool and smiling, bowed
L and leit tha room, his companions fastening
aftef him
"Acll, ~ George" breathed the bar
tender "i'll bet twenty-five dollars he
I, don't!
slar.i1 slswly turned his head: "I'll
taFeihat, Charley, he replied.
i Johnny Nelson was always late and on
this occasion he was later than usual. lie
, was to ts haze joined Hopalong and Red at
Dents at ter o'clock in the morning OF the
lasi friday Of tie month, and it was after
nine at night when he loped through San
1 Felipe without pausing, and struck east for
The canon The dropping, narrow canon
trail was serious enough in broad day
light, bet at night il was foolhardy to at
tempt its passage salnleSs one knew every
turn and slant, which Johnny did not
know @Sst544A +sa q
Hall an hour a6ead 81 him on another
trail rode Juan, smiling with satisfaction.
He had come to San Felipe expressly to get
look at the canon on Friday nights, and
Martin had given him an entirely unex-
ptSted excuse to cnter IT, for which he was
Etatnful. even while he knew that the Ameri-
sAslJ Jaau tf,r,i W jetk a quallel, al.o, ialiiDe
I i, this llopal the treacherous canon trai
enpid fisl i'le border oi q man entirely toe
tnixieetise for the good Of the Service
azs h4itfz I@1,sftfS touched wires nal