The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-02
THAT
FAILED
BY SARAH BAXTER

two weeks she said 10 me: MARY,
haven't time 10 put my jewels In th,
bank, and I'm going to leave then
IN your care Keep them in the CLOSET
1 in the room where the telephone In
strument is and sleep there. In case
burglar comes into the house you can
call the police. But you needn't fear
his breaking down the door OF youi
room. Burglars never do that"
Mrs. Peabody ! said, you're very
good to trust me with such valuable
property. III have your jewels for you
when you come back"
l But remember, Mary" she said, II
AIN trusting you only, not the other
servants. There's no need of that"
'Yes'm," says /.
didn't tell the others, but the day
after Mrs. Peabody left James, the but.
| Ter, came into the room for something
and saw me lock the door Of the closet.
What are you locking up so care.
fully2" he asked me-
TITS none of your business" says |.
Eyes. 1t is. Mr.. Peabody put the
house In my care while the family is
away, and IL there's valuables any.
where I'd ought TO know t."
Fearing he'd talk about 1t before the
other servants, thought I'd best tell
him that mistress jewels were in the
closet
h Thursday before the family came
home was my day out | thought at
first that | wouldn't go on account OF
the jewels, but they were locked in the
closet and | would take the key with
me. SO / went. When | came back
went In at thC servants door and up
! TO my room, Were | took off my coat
/ and hat and put on my black and
white uniform. Then | went out into
| the hall
There is a long mirror in the hall, |
and usually when | passed 1t | gave
glance at myself In it, But this time
was In a hurry, so didn't
But at the end of the hall, where
there was no mirror, | saw myself I,
coming toward myself. stopped, H
wondering what was the matter, for
the mirror hadn't been moved. and |
couldn't understand seeing myself
Then the figure came toward me, and
saw that 1t was a real woman, and
what broke me up was that she was
not me. | caught at the banister to
keep from falling, then | gasped:
who are your III
I'm Mary Murphy says she. look.
ing astonished.
NO. you're not. I'm Mary Murphy, |
myself"
You Mary Murphy! Then, who
am r.
Something has gone wrong with
me-" | moaned, rubbing my eyes. I'm I
Mary Murphy. and you're Mary Muir
ply too
You look just like me for all the
world says she looking frightened.
I'm afraid something's geing TO hap
pen, seeing myself this way. I'm go
ing away from you"
James came up the stairs, and see
Ing the two of us looking just alike he !.
looked queer.
James," | cried. what does this !
mean? Am | Mary Murphy, and is !
that my other self, or is she Mary
Murphy, and IL don't know what"
James stared at us both for some u
time, as If he didn't know which was 2
which; then he pointed to my other v
self and said
That's Mary" q
Anyway" says the other maid. I'm U
going away from here. | can't stand 1t q
to see you there looking just like me-" a
Cook, hearing the talking, came up. le
and when she saw the two of us look d
ng just alike. she raised her hands y,
cl
Cook" / said, "who is this woman g
who is Just like me?''
Il don't know" says cook. "She
anne in little while ago, and / sup
,osed she was you. She went upstairs tn
md that's all know" 10
rs she me or am l me?" nt
Cook looked at us both. then said to 70
he other one, Say something" But 1t,
be other one wouldn't speak. Then | til
bought that she wouldn't because gr
ook would tell the difference In our en-
oices. WI
Somehow at that moment l thought co
the jewels. Wasn't this some way ia
getting them? | wondered II this of
roman hadn't dressed herself in ag
lads uniform to make believe she Pill
as me, came In when | was out ard be
ken them. But how was It that she raj
oked just like me? The thought made on
lie furious. | ran to her and grabbed REF
ar. She struggled to get away, and in
lie fracas / heard something strike the
Dor, and there were the jewels scat d"
red all over it, Cha
James. cried "go to the telephone ma
I'd call the police" CIR
James didn't stir He looked fright mr.
led. Then i told cook to go, and she
d. The woman held struggled, and
asked James to help me. but he A
dn't. He looked kind of daft. ,au
The police were not long coming. Ii fol,
rned Que that James. who was bad. get
lew a woman who looked Just like are
e. He put up a job with her TO get
e Jewels. He took a wax impression,
the lock of the closet and made q
Y to az IT, Then he telephoned the
1man when went out. and she came
hit around dressed in maids uni
n 81.