Night Stalks The Mansion: A True Story Of One Family's Ghostly Adventure by Constance Westbie, Harold Cameron

Tillman who lived with her husband,
Burchell, on a cattle ranch in New Mexico. We had sent
her a picture of the house and she had immediately decided
that a vacation was in order. She soon wrote:
    I can't wait to see your mansion. It intrigues me no
end. I, also, can't wait to see some of my favorite people
that I've missed very much and I'm ready for a shopping trip to New York with Dorothy to help me pick
out hats. Will bring Lana and Larry and will notify
you of our intended arrival just as soon as my plans at
this end are completed which won't take long.
    Much love,
Elda Clare

    My sister had been active in politics and club work, had
a beautiful singing voice and was much in demand to perform at important functions. She was also a devoted mother.
We always enjoyed Elda Clare; tall and slim, with a smile
for everyone. She was talented, level-headed, and about
as normal as a person could be. Larry was eight and just
the right age to play with Carrol, who was missing youthful
companionship. Lana was Janet's age and the two had
always loved each other. This was a perfect family with
whom to initiate our entertaining in our new home. If we
were without help during her visit -and we were in that
condition more often than not-she would pitch in with
the work. But there was a problem. How much should we
tell her about the house being haunted?
    "I rather think she should be warned-at least a little,"
said Dorothy thoughtfully. "Remember the shock that poor
little Joe got!"
    "And how do you warn just a little?" I demanded. "It
has to be all or nothing. Besides," I added with a grin, "I
don't see Elda Clare camping on the lawnl"
    Joe was a friend of Carrol's from our Portland days who
had visited for a short time. The boys had decided to "rough
it." They set up a tent on the front lawn and had two dogs,
a gun, and a flashlight to bolster their courage. It was a
moonlit night and everything went well until the dogs
started to bark. Then, to Carrol's uneasiness, the dogs
crept closer to him, their barks changing to frightened
whimpers. Heavy footsteps were heard on the gravel. They
came to the front drive. Carrol turned on his flashlight but
no one was there. The steps passed them, went around to
the kitchen entrance and stopped. (This was the only time
to my knowledge they hadn't stopped at the front door.)
Boys and dogs fled to the house and that ended their camping venture.

    "Gee, Mr. Cameron," Joe said. "The guy was so close I
could have untied his shoelaces - but I didn't see any shoes!'
    "Did the kitchen door open?" I asked curiously.
    Carrol shook his head. "It didn't have to," he replied
somberly.
    Joe's eyes were wide with fear. It was probably the first
time that anything had happened an adult couldn't explain
away. It must have been a difficult experience for the boy.
It was even a harder one for Carrol as Joe would be going
home in a day or two where such things didn't happen.
Carrol would have to continue living in the house and face
the unknown along with the rest of his family. Carrol later
said this was the first time he ran into the house for safety!
    As we continued to discuss the pros and cons of a complete confession to Elda Clare, Bob impishly embarked on
an impromptu parody on Hamlet.
    "To tell, or not to tell, that is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler for their minds to suffer
The slings and arrows of . . . of ..."
    Here Bob floundered, but Hal caught the ball.
    "Of outrageous forces, or to forewarn them of our many
troubles,
And, in compassion, tell them."
    Although we laughed together at the joint declamation,
we were still uncertain about a course of action.
    "I don't know how she'd take it," I admitted truthfully.
"In the first place I doubt if she'd believe a word. Then, if
she should ridicule the idea of disembodied entities around,
they just might get angry enough to shake her upl"
    "And us along with her," Bob pointed out. "Sometimes
I feel they