The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-04-29
Spook Rivers
Specter
By R. RAY BAKER

ASAbhihs Ah0 iVhc"S NtC
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 gruuted. his yellow
teeth wrenchlng mouthfuI from "a
black tobacco plug.
My eyes opened wide in surprise.
"Why, what do you mean?" l asked.
Aren't you going any farther with
meT
The redskin shook his mead vigOr-
ously.
Nope. This far nough. You know
um Chickcook pass? 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
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?
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 complaceutly on the
quld. THAT place-she's haunted
You know? Spirit, she come there.
Get me, Steve?"
1t was the first time l had heard of
n 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 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 foot in
CbickCook pass IL his life and the
lives Of his whole tribe depended on
IT..
"AlI right" told him, disgustcdly.
Here, I'll settle with you now" and
l handed him a bank note. keep it
al" / admonished, although II 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
confidentially, as though the crags and
peaks might eavesdrop. You see, |
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
tolG me, and must be so. Pedder 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.
See?'
The aboriglne shouldered his pack
and walked away.
walt" l called. what was the
miners nameT
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 ] stood dumfonnded
in the clearing. Walter Granger dead?
1t did not seem possible. Why, only
the other day had received his letter
urging me TO join him and stake out
a 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 l came equipped
for it,"
1t was truly dangerous region.
Why this band of Indians was per-
mitted to roam at large was beyond
me. l had supposed they were all
coTralled on reservations.
I'm going on, just the same" de-
cided after 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--welI, I'm
going on and eXterminate few red
skins to even the score"
Nightfnl found me entering Chick
cook pass. The pass was five miles
long, and through it ran Spook River,
emptying into Lone Lake at the other
end. With darkness growing more in
tense every minute, decided would
have to camp for the night, for was
not acquainted with the trail, and /
found that the moon was rot working
OH this occasion, thus depriving inc of
light with which to find my way,
"f'll take chance ON Walters
ghost" unused as / rolled up in a
blanket under one of theSblaCkest skies
l had ever seen. IN all that vault
overhead were only three points of
light denotlng stars, and II looked as
If the slight wind that blew up the
pass might extinguish them at any mo-