The herald., 1915-09-23
A TRIPLE
SCARE
By SADIE OLCOTT

| the HlSiIt
La saEy.S, mum! thought you'd
come in and was upstairs
Mrs. Carpenter thought nothing of
this. The maid went back TO the
kitchen, and the lady went up To her
room. Standing before dresser was
| herself!
Mrs. Carpenter put her hand 10 her
forehead then rested 1t on the door
post for support. Her double was ar
ranging her toilet, looking at herself
in a mirror. On hearing some one at
the door she turned her face and, see
Ing Mrs. Carpenter, exclaimed:
My gracious"
"Who-o-o are your asked Mrs. Car
penter, gaSping.
"Who are you?' was the reply.
I'm Margaret Carpenter"
80 am l."
| There was an interval Of silence, dur
| ing which each woman regarded the
| other with obvious terror. The wOm-
an before the glass showed signs of
| fainting.
"Oh, my heavensw she cried. "Have
l lost my mindT
do go away begged Mrs. Carpen-
ter.
"Go away yourself. What do you
mean by coming into my house, as
though you were 1: oh, my! Can it
be that
She looked again at Mrs. Carpenter,
then buried her face in her hands. The
latter staggered to the head of the
stairs. held tight TO the banister, de-.
scended and tOttered into the kitchen.
Ellen she moaned.
what IS 1t. num-" asked the girl,
frightened at her mistress appearance.
"Who is it upstairs"
81 don't know, mum. You came in
ten minutes ago and went to your
room, and now you have come In
again"
Then there really is some one there.
I'm not gone daft"
81 don't know. mum. I'll go and see"
DO" moaned the mistress.
Ellen ran upstairs and was back
again In a couple of minutes looking
Eout w DIS very Ddlc.
II knew it." cried Mrs. Carpenter.
1--WE received stroke. Oh, Elem
And she fell back into a chair.
There was a sound of a latchkey In
the front door, and Mr.. Carpenter
walked in. He saw the swish Of
skirt on the landing above. His wife
had tainted In the kitchen, and the
maid was trying to keep her from fall
ing to the floor. Mr.. Carpenter went
upstairs to his wife's room and saw
her standing before the dresser. He
was surprised to see the blinds closed. |
why, my DEAR" he exclaimed, why |
shut out the lightT
I'm afraid I've had something break |
In my brain"
Break in your brain? What do you
mean?"
I've seen myself
in the mirror, of course"
NO; standing in the doorway where
you are now. It's gone"
"Vanished?"
mo; it went downstairs"
Calm yourself. Some one who re-
sembles you was here"
He approached her, but she drew
away. go downstairs" she said, "and
see if am there" He stood irresolute
for a moment, and she gave him an ap-
pealing look. STEADY, my dear" She
sank on the lounge. III be back In a
moment You have mistaken some one
for yourself"
He ran down the stairs, passed into
the living room, then the dining room,
and, pushing swinging door, stood In
the kitchen. There on q chair. pale as
ghost, supported by the maid, was
his wife. She gave him an appealing
glance.
"Oh, Henry" she cried, I'm afraid
something awful has happened to mel"
Great Scott" cried the man. I'm
afraid something awful has happened
to mew
HAS she gomez"
Are you Margaret or is the woman
upstairs MargaretT
Then there is really some one
there?"
"A woman who looks exactly like
you, only the blinds are closed and 1
couldn't see distinctly"
An explanation occurred simultape-
ously to both Mr.. and Mrs. Carpenter.
Mrs. Carpenter righted herself. The
'front.' door was heard to close. Mr..
carpenter ran into the hall and opened
The door just I'm time to see the swish
OF a skirt around the corner. He
stood thinking, then ran upstairs into
his wife's room and opened a tin box
n which his wife kept her Jewels. 1t
was empty. Going to the landing. he
,alled
Margaret come up here"
Mrs. Carpenter, considering the fright
NE had been under, went upstairs and
INTO her room with remarkable rapid
ty. There stood her husband with her
Empty Jewel box In his hands.
You've been fooled" he said.
"How-where-wha ,
Some woman resembling Won has
cared you out Of your wits and taken
our Jewels"
"The horrid thingr
The police were put on the case and
ne woman was arrested, but the Jewels ,