Fifty Years a Medium – Chapter 5, 3/7 by Estelle Roberts

The owner had several times been awakened by the piteous howling of a Dalmatian dog which shared his bedroom. Each time the howling was followed by the sound of footsteps moving about the house in places where there was no human being. The secretary had been awakened several times at night to find a ghostly face peering at her from the darkness.

The housekeeper had a similar unnerving story to tell. Altogether it was not the sort of atmosphere in which anyone could live comfortably for any length of time.

Accompanied by two male companions I went to investigate. After walking through the rooms, the three of us stopped in a long unfurnished gallery which ran from the living apartments to an empty room in an ornamental tower forming one corner of the house. Here, where the vibrations were strongest, I was confident we would get the most positive results.

Presently we were joined in our vigil by the three occupants of the house. All six of us ‘sat’, a little tense and on edge, waiting to see what would happen. Red Cloud made the first move. I became aware that he was with us when I heard his voice telling me to walk along the gallery towards the empty room. I got to my feet and had taken only two or three steps when I saw, ahead of me, a man in what seemed to be a monk’s habit.

“Can any of you see this figure?” I asked my companions. None of them could.
“Have those of you who live here ever seen a man wearing a cloak and cowl?”
“Yes,” the secretary and the housekeeper answered almost in concert.

“He’s here now,” I said, “searching a cabinet.” The cabinet was old fashioned and heavy, the only piece of furniture in the whole length of the gallery.
“He won’t find anything in there,” said the owner of the house. “It’s empty.”

As though he had heard and understood, the spirit figure left the cabinet and moved into the tower room, where he mounted a small iron staircase, disappearing at the top through a closed door that led to the roof.