The Ghost Range — Alex Alexander

A rancher in South Texas had to sell his ranch because of his health. Charles Summers, his wife Ruth and son Wayne found the perfect place in Southern Colorado to build The Evergreen Ranch. The Federal Government owned all of the vacant land so the Summers purchased several thousand acres in the Weminuche Wilderness at the upper north end of the valley. A few people from the larger towns wanted to build their summer homes at the lower end of the valley. The little village of Cross Creek with a general store, a small livery stable and a nice small cafe made up the center of the town. A free grazer, Hoyt Flynn, built a sheriff's office along the jail, a barn and corrals. He then placed his own sheriff, his judge and two deputies in town. Hoyt had his eye on The Evergreen Ranch. One day a halfbreed Indian, Jason Whitehorse, came to town for his supplies and a hair cut. The sheriff wanted to make the occupants of Cross Creek know who was boss of their town so he shot Jason for no reason except to put fear in all of the summertime residents. The Ute Indian Tribe lived a few miles southwest on a large reservation and considered this valley their sacred ground. They believed that if someone killed you in the valley that the dead person's ghost would return and kill the person who killed them on the sacred ground. A lot of ghost on white horses, an Indian Chief, a U.S. Marshal, Wayne Summers, and a few skunks make it hard on Flynn and his crew of killers. A Federal Judge in Durango, Colorado puts the finishing touches to Hoyt Flynn's dreams. A young lady, Lillian Forest, gives Wayne Summers a pestering time as the War of The Weminuche wages on.