The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-04-07
Spook Rivers
Specter
BY r. RAY BAKER

80 $780,
pointed a gnarled finger down the tur-
)ulent stream.
you follow UNI Spook river. you
get there" he grunted, his yellow
teeth w%renching u mouthful from u
black tobacco plug.
My eyes opened wide In surprise.
why, what do you mean2' l asked.
Aren't you going any farther with
me?'
The redskln shook his head vigor-
ously.
Nope. This far 'nough. You know
um Chickcook pass? Have to 20
through pass or never get to Lone
Lake"
This was no news to me. I was
aware that there was no means OF
getting on the other side of the ridge
except by way Of Chlckcook pass. but
what did that have to do with the In
jian refusing 10 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
volced these thoughts us we crawled
back to less precarious positions.
"Never get me In ChIckcook pass no
more" the redskln grunted, his Ratchet
laws champing complacently on the
luid. That place-she's haunted.
You know? Spirit, she come there.
Get me. Stevef"
II 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. Ii had simply been
called after John Spook, Its ~diseoverer,
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
Cbickcook pass II his life and the
lives of his whole tribe depended on
IL. e.
"All right" l told him, dlsgustedly.
Here, I'll settle with you now" and
| handed him a bank note. keep Il
all," l a%dmonished. although 1t was
the equal of the amount for which he
had agreed to make the whole trip.
The bill seemed to loosen his tongue.
IL tell you why l change mind" he
said, drawing near and whispering
c~onfidentially, as though the crags and
peaks might ~eavesdrop. "You see, i
not know about pass ghost when we
started. ! not know till we met In
dian peddler back there five miles.
Member himf 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 spook not
be able tell difference between me and
bad one. No one tell bout spook.
Seer"
The aborlglne shouldered his pack
and walked away.
"Wait," / called. "What was the
miners Manner
He stopped and knitted his shaggy
brows. d.
Miners name?" he repeated. lie
see, his name-his name-yes, l got
1t. His name Granger. that's it."r
Waving a hand, he disappeared into
the woods, while l stood d~umfounded
In the clearing. Walter Granger dead?
1t did not seem possible. Why, only
the other day l had received his letter
urging me TO join him and stake out
a claim, because he knew he had struck
1t rich.
Still. I 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. ~
expected trouble and l came equipped
for it."
II was truly a dangerous region.
why this band OF Indians was per-
mitted to at large vas beyond
me. ! had supposed they were all
corralled on reservations.
I'm going on, just the same" I de-
cided after a moment of reflection.
"Probably the story Of Walters death
10 ihht. Llheiy thc Buluc NdHttu ~
quit his job, and he knew ] was going
To see Walter, so he invented the story.
However, II Walter is dead-well, I'm
going on and exterminate a few red
skins to even the score"
Nightfall found ms entering Chick
cook pass. The pass was five miles
long. and through II ran Spook River.
e~mptying into Lone Lake ut the other
end. With darkness growing more in
tense every minute, | decided would
have to camp for the night, for | vas
not acquainted with the trail, and I
found that the moor was not working
on this occasion, thus depriving me Of
light with which TO find my way.
"Ill take a chance on Walters
ghost" | unused as | rolled up In a
blanket under one OF the blacklist skies
! had ever seen. In all that vault
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