The Echo register. (Echo, Umatilla County, Or.) 190?-1909, 1909-07-02
hAnRY'S FIRST CASE,
ey EDMUND S. sPlNNEY.

.nGSc up III bar.un county where :
.,iUSt appears once In ten yearS-ar
old woman jlnglinE n bunch of keys
she appears tonight. They suspect
she is tlesh and blood"
. | expected IN Important ease fol
starter uul made no comment
reached the house just before dinner
was invited TO dine with the family
and In every way made at home. The
oldest daughter was about twenty and
as pretty as liitlr red apple. Her
smile and her eyes We're full Of mis-
chief. and 1t occurred - mc that she
would he quite capable of playing the
part Of Il ghost. | made up my mind
TO be prepared for such Il result
Elsie--that was her name Elsie Ed
son and spent the evening chatting
and playing checkers and backgam-
mon. was but twenty-five and anne
nG+ic to the attractions of a pretty girl
She had read detective stories and
seemed to look upon me as a marvel
of ingenuity. or course since was
detective | must be ingenious.
didn't tell her that this was my first
| case. put on all the mystery l could
summon in order to impress her with
the depth of my methods. At 10
o'clock she was ordered To bed, and
her mother took me to the room where
the ghost was expected TO appear. 1t
was n chamber between n front and n
rear room. hall leading past 1t from
one to the other. Some sandwiches
and bottle Of beer were placed on a
table beside me.
had all a young mans appetite for
eating and sleeping and was very fond
Of beer, especially about bedtime. |
put Off my supper rs long as could
about fifteen minutes-then ate up all
the sandwiches. drank the beer and lit
cigar. l would better have had cof-
fee. The beer. followed by the cigar
and my position-l was stretched on
lounge-contributed TO put me to
sleep. 1t occurred to me that a de.
tective should be very careful not to
be caught mapping, and tried hard to
keep awake. I should have got up
and walked the floor, but-well. was
very comfortable where was. OF
course fell asleep.
dreamed. Dreams are singular
things. Sometimes they have all the
appearance Of reality. My dream was,
to use paradoxical expression, a
pleasant nightmare. dreamed that
l was lying just where l was; that
Elsie walked by the open door, looked
In at me, came and stood by me. deft-
ly drew my handkerchief from my
outside coat pocket-one corner was
exposed-then. bending lower and
lower. lightly touched my forehead
with her lips. This done. she tiptoed
to the door. stood for moment look
ing ut me with all the mcrriment Of a
prank player then passed out.
How much time elapsed between my
dream and my awakening | don't
know. When ! awoke II was from
hearing n jingllng Of keys. had the
presence of mind to lie perfectly still.
| felt sure Elsie was near, and | was
not surprised TO see ont of the corner
OF my eye an old woman pass the
door with bunch of keys In her
hand. waited. and the figure re-
turned and this time looked I'm as she
passed | snored on. Once more re-
turning. the figure stood In the door
way and jingled her keys. evidently to
awaken me. This failing. she came TO
the lounge and was looking at mo
when | sprang up and caught her In
my arms. or course she was Elsie.
"Oh good craclnus" she exclaimed.
IL am sorry. Miss Elson." | said,
'to have caught you In the act. My
chief viii require an exact report.
trust your family viii not consider
your playing ghost rcprehensiblc?"
But they viii. I'm not the ghost.
I never played the ghost before.
saw you were asleep and thought I'd
play prank on you. | didn't know
detectives ever slept"
1t WAS my turn TO vince. How
would II took TO my chief II were
reported sleeping on watch? This
girl Is easily managed" | said to my
self. "I'll blur her just for fun"
II confess TO you" | replied. that
felt very duh and appeared TO be
asleep. was not. To prove il | will
tell you something. \ certain young
lady came into the room and kissed
me"
She started and blushed.
"Ah. ha" thought. my dream
was real
You say you were awake" she said
presently.
"Of course"
She pulled nv handkerchief out Of
her sleeve. Then why did you let me
take this?'
changed my braggadoclo air TO
humble one.
You say Il .s your duty to report
me Tor playing Ghost II win then be
my PRIVILEGE to report you for sleeping
~ watch
How about the kIssf"