Spango

About the Book

This story is set in September 1880 and begins in Navaho Wells, Arizona Territory, which is located in the White Mountains at an elevation of 7000 feet.  In a freezing early September morning John Morgan, a Texas Ranger from El Paso, Texas rides into the small dirty village of Navaho Wells where he encounters a tale of murder and rape committed by the five desperadoes he has been chasing for the past eight months.  As each week goes by he shortens the distance between himself and the gang.   As he leaves Navaho Wells, Morgan reluctantly takes with him a young boy of seventeen years of age who wants to ride with Morgan as far as Fort Thomas so he can join the Army.  The descending trail from the lush green mountains to the rocky barren desert leads to the Apache Indians, more Indians and Death.  As Morgan arrives at Fort Thomas he is both surprised and shocked to learn that an Arizona Territorial Police Officer has been assigned to him to keep Morgan legal while he is the Territory.  To make matters worse, the police officer is a full-blooded Navaho Indian who has the manners and speech of a white man.  Without the Navaho, Charley Blue Wolf, Morgan has no legal authority to draw a weapon or effect an arrest.   The trail leads through more Indians, mountains and valleys to Dudleyville where Morgan and Charley meet the happiest Irishman this side of St. Louis, Missouri.  After spending a tipsy night at the inn owned by the Irishman, Morgan and Charley head out toward Picacho Pass and the Butterfield Stage station, then on to Maricopa Wells, Gila Bend and Yuma following in the wake of murders and rape.  The life of the Arizona Territorial Governor's daughter, Caroline has been threatened bringing him and Caroline Fremont closer together.  Morgan's first visit to the sand cliffs overlooking the bandit town of Spango resulted in him being shot by two outriders posted to kill prying eyes.  A stay in the local Yuma hospital and a developing romance with Caroline complicates the mission of John Morgan, who by now, is in no shape to continue his chase of the Texas desperadoes.  Charley Blue Wolf is ordered by the Governor to take over and put the town of Spango out of business.  Charley Blue Wolf's attempt to organize a strike force against Spango is complicated when a detachment of the 10th US Cavalry shows up.

About the Author

Shelby Jones visits and researches ghost towns, existing towns and cities that are rich in western history and lore, which date back to the early 1800's. Arizona is the museum of the Old West, its towns, places, characters, and events wake up the imagina