The Ocala evening star., 1915-08-20
A TRIPLE
SCARE
By SADIE OLCOTT

Mrs. Carpenter returned from shop
ping and rang the bell OF her dwelling.
The maid who admitted her looked at
her, surprised
What's the matter, Enen?' asked
the mistress.
La sakes, 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 a dresser was
3 herself!
Mrs. Carpenter put her hand to her
forehead, then rested IL on the door
post for support Her double was ar
ranging her toilet, looking at herself
I'm 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 your was the reply.
I'm Margaret Carpenter"
$50 am l."
There was an interval OF silence dur
] ing which each woman regarded the
I
an before the glass showed signs OF
| fainting.
"Oh, my heavensr' she cried Have
lost my mindT'
do go awayr' begged Mrs. Carpen-
| ter
Go away yourself What do you
mean by coming into my house, as
though you were 1? oh. myl Can il
| be that
She looked again at Mrs. Carpenter
then buried her face I'm her hands. The
latter staggered to the head of the
stairs. held tight to the banister, de-
scended and tOttered into the kitchen.
"EIlenI' she mOaned
What is 1t, mumT' asked the girl
frightened at her mistress appearance
'Who is II upstairs?'
Il 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"
Il 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
much troubled. She was very pale.
Il knew it." cried Mrs. Carpenter.
I've received stroke. oh, Ellenr'
And she fell back into a chair.
There was u sound OF a latchkey I'm
the front door, and Mr.. Carpenter
walked I'm. He saw the swish OF a
! skirt on the landing above. His wife
had tainted I'm 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 brain? What do you
meanY'
I've seen myself
lin the mirror. OF course"
mo; standing i'm the doorway where
| you are now. It's gone"
"Vanished?'
mo; il went downstairs"
Calm yourself. Some one who re-
sembles you was here"
He approached her, but she drew
| away. Go downstairs" she said, land
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. "I'n 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
a 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 meI'
Great Scott" cried the man, "I'm
afraid something awful has happened
to mer'
Has she gomez"
! upstairs Margaret"
therel"
"a woman who looks exactly like
you, only the blinds are closed and i
! couldn't see distinctly"
An explanation occurred simultane-
| Ously to both Mr.. and Mrs. Carpenter.
Mrs. Carpenter righted herself The
| 4EOHl uOOT WIS HedTu 10 close. Mf.
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 wifes room and opened a 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
| fly. There stood her husband with her
empty jewel box I'm his hands.
You've been fooled" he said.
| "How-where-wha
| "Some woman resembling you has
scared you out Of your wits and taken
| your Jewels
"The hOrrid thing"
The police We're PUT on the case and
| the woman was arrested. but the jewels
| were not recovered The thief had