The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-25
Eoening Story
Spook Rivers Specter.

turbulent stream.
"You follow UNI Spook river. you
get there" he gruuted, his yellow
teeth wrenching mouthful from a
black tobacco plug.
My eyes opened wide in surprise.
why, what do you mean?" 1 asked.
Aren't you going any farther with
ME p
The redskin shook his head vigor-
ously.
.Nope. This far 'nough. You know
TN Chickcook pass? Have to go thru
rass or never get to Lone Lake
This was no news to me. was
aware that there was no means OF get
ting on the other side of the ridge ex-
cept by way of Chickcook Pass, but
what did that have to do with the In
dian refusing to accompany me far
Their? 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 crawied back TO
less precarious positions.
"Never get me in Chickcook Pass
no more" the redskin grunted, MS
Ratchet jaw champing complacentiy
on the guild That pl :n;r;1 shs ha eome
there. Get me. Steve?"
IT was the first time had heard OF
ghost on Spook river. The name Oh
| the stream, I had been told, neld no
such significance. 1t had simply been
and not out of respect for any phan-
tom that had an abode there
I could see there was no use arsu-
ing. NV guide would not set foot IN
Chickcook Pass if his life and the lives
of his whole tribe depended on it.
.'AlI right" I told him. disgustedly:
Here. I'll settle with you now" and
I handed him a bank note Keep IL
all" admonished, altho it was the
equal of the amount for which ne hao
agreed to make the whole trip.
The bill seemed to loosen his tongue
s.I tell you why I change mind. ne
said. drawing near and whispering
cenfidentially, as tho the crags and
peaks might eayesdrop. You see,
not know about pass ghost when We
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
sHThat miners spook been seen last
two nights in Chickeook pass. Ped
dIer told me, and must be so. Peddler
never lie. Spook come back to hasn't
bad Indians. but-vwell, mebbe spook
not be able tell difference between me
and bad one. No one tell bout spook.
See?"
The aborigine shouldered his pack
and walked away.
Wait" I called. "What was the
miners name?"
He stopped and knitted his shaggy
brows.
Miners name?" he repeated.
Lessee, his name-his name-yes. |
got it. His name Granger, that's it."
Waving his hand, he disappeared
founded in the clearing. Walter
Granger dead? 1t did not seem pos
sible. Why, only the other day 1 had
received his letter urging me to join
him and stake out q claim, because
he knew he had struck it 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. 81
expected trouble and I 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. L had supposed they were all
corralled on reservations.
I'm going on, just the same" de-
cided after a 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 thru it ran Spook river,
emptying into Lone Lake at the other
end. With darkness growing more in
tense every minute, I decided would
have to camp for the night, for I was
not acquainted with the trail, and I
found that the moon was not working
on this occasion, thus depriving me of
light with which to find my way
ri UVaI &c
ghost" 1 unused as 1 rolled up in a
blanket under one of the blacklist
skies l had ever seen. In all that
vault overhead were only three points
OF light denoting stars. and it looked
as if the slight wind that blew up the
pass might extinguish them at any
| moment
was tired and went to sleep quick
ly. 1 don't know how long my eyes
were closed, but they opened with a
| start What made me awaken could
not tell, but there was a peculiar, I'M
pleasant chill creeping along my spine
AS the cold sensation went up my
back my hair was lifting itself into a
perpendieular position. I could not
fathom the reason, unless it was q
foreboding. But a foreboding of
what?
l looked up, but as far as 1 was
concerned there was no sky. 1t was
entirely blotted out, with not so much
| as pin prick of illumination
L listened, but all I could hear was
the river, rushing past with a never
ceasing roar only a few feet from
where 1 had camped. That was all
there was to break the silence
I got to my feet and produced NV
pipe, for suddenly felt the need of
company. 1 placed the stem in NV
mouth and went into a pocket after
tobacco.
AT that moment a shrek pierced
-fr rrs1lr .
the pass and was thrown back against
| another. My pipe dropped from my
mouth, for my teeth were too busy
beating a tattoo against one another
to hold fast to anything.
The chill that had attacked me was
| reinforced by others, and thew fral-
| licked on my backbone. I was sure
the hair had left my head entirely. I
looked wildly around, but there was
nothing to be seen