The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-04-09
Spook Rivers
Specter
By r. RAY BAKER

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&c, 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate)
Bidding me follow, the Indian
crawled to the brink of the gorge and
pointed gnarled finger down the tur-
bulent stream.
You follow um Spook river, you
get there" he grunted, his yellow
teeth wrenching mouthful from
black tobacco plug.
My eyes opened wide in surprise.
"Why, what do you meant" l asked.
"Aren't you going any farther with
met"
The redskin shook his head vigor-
ously.
Nope. This far 'nough. You know
UNI Chickcook pass? Have to go
through pass or never get to Lone
Lake"
This was no news to me. l 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
Their? / 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? l
voiced these thoughts as we crawled
back to less precarious positions.
"Never get me in Chickcook pass no
more" the redskin grunted. his Ratchet
jaws champing complacently on the
quid. "That place-she's haunted.
You know? Spirit, she come there.
Get me, Steve?"
1t was the first time had heard OF
a ghost on Spook river. The name OF
the, stream, / had been told, held no
such significance. 1t had simply been
called after John Spook, its discoverer,
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 foot in
Cbickcook pass If his life and the
lives Of his whole tribe depended on
it.
"All right" told him, disgustedly.
Here, I'll settle with you now" and
/ handed him a bank note. keep 1t
ALL" I admonished, although 1t was
the equal of the amount for which he
had agreed to make the whole trip.
The bill seemed 20 loosen his tongue.
II tell you why change mind" he
said, drawing near and whispering
confdential1y, as though the crags and
peaks might eavesdrop. "Ycu see. l
not know about pass ghost when we
started. l not know till we met In
dian peddler back there five miles.
Member him? 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-well, mebbe sp00k not
be able tell difference between me and
bad one. No one tell bout sp00k.
Sect"
The aborigine shouidered his pack
and walked away.
"Wait," called. "What was the
miners nameY'
He stopped and khitted his shaggy
brows.
miners nameT he>repeated. lie
see, his name-his name-yes, ! got
| 1t. His name Granger, that's It."
Waving hand, he disappeared into
the woods, while stood dumfounded
in the clearing. Walter Granger dead
It did not seem possible. Why, only
the other day had received his letter
urging me to Join him and stake out
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. u
expected trouble and came equipped
| for it."
| 1t was truly a dangerous region
why this band OF Indians was per
mitted to roam at large was beyond
me. I had supposed they were al
corralled on reservations.
I'm going on, just the same" de
cided after q moment Of reflection
Probably the story Of Walters dealt
Is fake. Likely the guide wanted II
quit his Job. and he knew ! was goin;
| to see Walter, so he invented the story
However, IL Walter Is dead-well, Tn
going on and exterminate q few red
skins to even the score"
Niehtfall found me entering Chick
cook pass. The pass was five mile
Hong, and through 1t ran Spook River
emptying into Lone Lake at the othe
end. With darkness growing more In
tense every minute, ! decided ] worl,
have to camp for the night, for wa
not acquainted with the trail, and
found that the moon was not WORKING
on this occasion, thus depriving me o
Hight with which to find my way.
.Tll take chance on Walter
ghost" unused as ! rolled up in !
blanket under one Of the blacklist skie
/ / had ever seen. in all that vaul
overhead were only three points Q
light denoting stars, and It looked a
IL the slight wind that blew up th
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