The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-15
A TRIPLE
SCARE
By SADIE OLCOTT

ping ana rang the Dell OF ner dwelling
The maid who admitted her looked al
her, surprised.
whats the matter, EllenT asked
the mistress.
La sakes, mum! l 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 to 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 graciousw
"Who-o-o are your" asked Mrs. Car
penter, gasping.
"Who are your was the reply.
I'm Margaret Carpenter"
$50 am t.
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 heavens" she cried. Have
I lost my mind?"
do 60 awayr begged Mrs. Carpen-
ter.
go away yourself. What do you
mean by coming into my house, as
though you were 1? oh, my! Can 1t
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 it, mum2" asked the girl,
frightened at her mistress appearance.
who Is 1t upstairs"
II 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"
II don't know, mum. I'll 60 and see."
DO" mOaned the mistress.
Ellen ran upstairs and was back
again In a couple Of minutes looking
much troubled. She was very pale.
II knew It," cried Mrs. Carpenter.
i've received a stroke. Oh, Elem
And she fell back into chair.
There was Sound Of q latchkey In
the front door. and Mr.. Carpenter
walked In. He saw the swish Of q
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 light?"
I'm afraid I've had something break
In my BRAIN"
Break in your brain2 What do you
meanY
I've seen myself"
"In the mirror, Of course"
mo; standing in the doorway where
you are now. It's gone"
"Vanished?''
"NO; 1t. 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 II am there" He stood irresolute
for a moment. and she gave him an ap-
pealing look. STEADY, my dear" She
sank on the lounge. "I'll 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 a swinging door, stood in
the kitchen. There on a 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 me"
Great Scott" cried the man, "I'm
afraid something awful has happened
to me.'
HAS she gone?'
Are you Margaret or is the woman
upstairs Margaret"
"Then there is really some one
there!''
"a woman who looks exactly like
you, only the blinds are closed and l
couldn't see distinctly"
An explanation occurred simultane-
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 In time to see the swish
of skirt around the corner. He
stood thinking. then ran upstairs into
his wife's room and opened tin box
In which his wife kept her Jewels 1t
was empty. Going to the landing, he
called:
Margaret, come up here"
Mrs. Carpenter, considering the fright
she had been under. went upstairs and
Into her room with remarkable rapid
ity. There stood her husband with her
empty Jewel box In his hands.
You've been fooled" he said.
"How-where-whatT
Some woman resembling you has
scared you out of your wits and taken
your jewels"
1.-The horrid thingr'
The police were put on the case and
the woman was arrested, but the Jewels
were not recovered. The thief had
seen Mrs. Carpenter and, struck with