The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-04-07


the reason, unless 1t was u f%oreDoulng.
But n ~forebodlng OF what2
] looked up, so far as I was n
cerned there was no sky. II was en-
tirely blotted out, with not so much
as a pin prick Of illumination.
/ listened, but all | could hear vas
the river, rushing past with a never
ceasing roar only a few feet from
where | had camped. That was all
there was to break the silence.
] got to my feet and produced my
pipe, for I suddenly felt the need Of
company. l placed the stem In my
mouth and went Into a pocket after
tobacco.
AT that moment a shrek pierced the
air. 1t struck against one wall OF the
pass and was thrown back against
another. My pipe dropped from any
mouth, Cor my teeth were too busy
beating n tattoo against one another
to hold fast to anything.
The chill that had attacked me was
reinforced by others, and they frol-
licked on my backbone. I was sure
the hair had left my head entirely.
looked wildly around. but there was
nothing to be seen.
Could II be a train crossing the
mountains2 II might have
There II was agalnl This time the
shrek seemed to possess twice its
original Intensity. No. It was no train.
1t sounded more like the concerted
wailing Of a thousand lost souls. I
sank TO the ground. the strength
sapped from my legs by fright. I
closed my eyes, for no reason what
ever unless TO shut u something I
was afraid I might see.
When l looked again the complete
darkness was broken. A weird spot
Of Illumination lowered across the
river-or was II on the river2 AS 1
watched, afraid but fascinated, a row.
boat entered the light, and In It stood
n man.
My entire body was shaking, and I
felt l was about to lose my reason.
] had never believed In ghosts, but
horrorsl The man In the boat was
Walter Granger! But he was twice
his natural sizei
The boat came to n stnndstill, for
all OF the powerful current. and Wal
ter turned slowly and looked across
the narrow stream, apparently directly
NJ me. There was a baleful look In
his eyes, and his teeth grlnned fiend-
ishly through separated lips.
Then, as l watched, Walter reached
IN with one hand ~and-great heavensI
That apparition or phantom. or what
ever II was. calmly removed its own
head and hurled It into the river.
fed-into the land of unconscious
ness.
"Yes," remarked my host across the
dinner table In the little cabin, II was
well equipped to defend myself"
! munched a piece Of bread and
grinned ruefully out the window al
Lone lake.
II should say you were," I agreed.
"How did you happen to do itf'
81 knew the best way to keep an In
dian away was to scare him." he ex-
planned. $50 had a movie Of myself
made before I left New York, and I
operated the machine out there against
the wall Of the pass with the aid of a
dynamo, which was connected by belts
TO the rear wheels Of my car. The car
being lacked up behind, when l threw
In the gears 1t made electricity. My
strong voice through a megaphone
helped In the performance.
"Yes," I growled, swallowing some
bacon; but you might have called of
your show when l came along. It's
lucky you came through the pass and
found me this morning. Otherwise you
might have had competition-from a
crazy ghost"