The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-03-18
Spook Rivers
Specter
By R. RAY BAKER
syndicate.)

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90 1874. By Mcclure Newspapers syndicate.)
Bidding me follow. the Indian
crawled to the brink Of the gorge and
pointed a gnarled finger down the tur-
bulent stream.
"You follow um Spook river, you
get there" he grunted, his yellow
teeth wrenching mouthful from a
black tobacco plug.
My eyes opened wide In surprise.
''Why, what do you mean?" I asked.
aren't you going any farther with
meY'
The redsldn shook his head vigor-
ously.
'Nope. This far 'nough. You know
um Chickcook pass7 Have to go
through pass or never get to Lone
Lake."
This was no news to me. was,
aware that there was no means Of
getting on the other side Of the ridge
except by way Of Chickcook pass, but
what did that have to do with the In
dian refusing to accompany me far
ther2 I had hired him to guide me
to Walter Changers mine on Lone
lake, and why should he desert me
now that we were only two-thirds
Of the way to our destination? ]
voiced these thoughts as we crawled
back to less precarlous positions.
aNever get me in Chickcook pass no
more" the redskin grunted. his Ratchet
Jaws champing complacently on the
Quid. '.That place-she' haunted.
You know? Spirit, she come there.
Get me, Steve?"
It was the first time I had heard Of
a ghost on Spook river. The name Of
the stream, I had been told, held no
such Significance. It had simply been
called after John Spook, Its discoyerer,
and not out Of respect for any phan-
tom that had an abode there.
could see there was no use Of argu-
Ing. My guide would not set a foot In
Chickcook pass IL his life and the.
lives Of his whole tribe depended on
'lr.
San right" I told him. disgustedly.
"Here, I'll settle with you now" and
I handed him bank note. keep it
ALL" / admonished, although It was
the equal Of the amount for which he
had agreed to make the whole trip.
The bill seemed to loosen his tongue.
II tell you why change mind" he
said, drawing near and whispering
conidentially, as though the crags and
peaks might eavesdrop. 'sYou see. I
not know about pass ghost when we
started. not know till we met In
dian peddler back there five miles.
Member him7 Peddler told me bad
redmen up on Lone Lake kill miner,
couple, tree days ago."
He picked up his pack of provisions.
"That miners spook been seen last
two nights in Chickcook pass. Peddler
told me, and must be so. Peddler never
lie. Spook come back to haunt bad
Indians. but-weIl, mebbe spook not
be able tell difference between me and
bad one. No one tell bout spook.
Seer"
The aborigine shouldered his pack
and walked away.
"Wait," I called. "What was the
miners name?p
He stopped and knitted his shaggy
brows.
Miners name?" he repeated. lie
see, his name-his name-yes, got
1t. His name Granger, that's it."
Waving a hand. he disappeared into
the woods, while I stood dumfounded
In the clearing. Walter Granger dead2
It did not seem possible. Why, only
the other day / had received his letter
urging me to join him and stake out
q claim, because he knew he had struck
It rich.
Still, ! remembered that, in that
very letter, he had spoken about the
''bad Indians" "But I'll be able to
take care Of myself" he wrote. 81
expected trouble and I came equipped
for It."
It was truly a dangerous region.
way tAAC 10AA0 VA AA0A4AO was RCk-
mitted to roam at large was beyond
me. / had supposed they were all
corralled on reservations.
I'm going on, just the same" / de-
cided after q moment Of reflection.
Probably the story Of Walters death
Is fake. Likely the guide wanted to
quit his Job, and he knew was going
to see Walter, so he invented the story.
However. If Walter is dead-well, I'm
going on and exterminate a few red
skins to even the score"
Nightfall found me entering Chick.
cook pass. The pass was five miles
long. and through 1t ran Spook River.
emptying into Lone Lake at the other
end. With darkness growing more In
tense every minute, I decided I would
have to camp for the night. for / was
not acquainted with the trail. and I
found that the moon was not working
on this occasion, thus depriving me of