Demons of Snake Swamp

What evil power ruled over the dank depths of Snake Swamp, striking death to bird, beast and man? Whence came the beautiful spectral maiden who roamed its paths by night?

Excerpt

I’ve been pretty much all over the world. For the last twelve years I’ve traveled about the United States and I’ve learned a few things,” remarked Jim Chamberlin, structural engineer and my closest friend and co-worker.

“Yeah?” I answered. “What, for instance?”

“Well,” drawled Chamberlin, a husky Westerner, “the most beautiful natural park within a city is Glen Oak in Peoria; the most beautiful city is St. Joseph, Missouri, in summer; the most gorgeous and breath-taking scenery is among the Colorado Rockies, and the backdoor to Hell is this same Snake Swamp.”

“No doubt about that,” I agreed, “but I am not going to swallow any old-ladies’ yarns about spooks. I am of the opinion that we will find a perfectly sane cause for every one of the many deaths in that devilish morass. They certainly cannot claim that ghosts are responsible for those who died by bullets.”

“They can claim most anything. There is no reason to believe that gunmen don’t have spooks, the same as medieval maiden ladies, is there?” he replied jocularly.