The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-03-22
A TRIPLE
SCARE
By SADIE oLcom


The maid who admitted her looked al
her, surprised.
whats the matter. Elem asked
the mistress.
la sakes, mum! thought you'd
come iii and was ups airs.' lsty TEL. ,E.,
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! y
Mrs. Carpenter put her hand to her
forehead, then rested 1t on tie 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 you?" asked Mrs. Car
penter, gasping.
who are your was the reply.
I'm Margaret Carpenter"
$50 am 1.
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 beavens!. she cried. "Have
Ilost my mind e. =, ..s /
DO go away!' begged Mrs. Carpen-
ter @ SO, sss 50.
go away, yourself. What do you
mean by coming into my house, as
though you were l? 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 ?"
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 couple of minutes looking
much troubled. She was very pale.
Il knew It," cried Mrs. Carpenter.
1--WE received stroke. Oh, Ellen"
Aud she fell back into a chair.
There was sound Of q Mtchkey m
the front door. and Mr.. Carpenter
walked In. He saw the swish of q
skirt on the landing above. His wife
Ind tainted in the kitchen, and the
maid was trying to.keep her from fan
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
..s;Why, my DEAR" he exclaimed, why
shut out the light?'
'l'm afraid I've had something break
In my BRAIN"
Break in your brain? What do you
mean:'
''1'ye seen myself"
lin the mirror, of course"
'.'No; standing in the doorway where
you are now. It's gone"
.vanished?''
NO; It went downstairs"
Calm yourself. Some one who re-
sembles you was here"
He approachfd her, but she drew
away. Go downstairs" she said, ''and
see IL am there" He stood irresolute
for a moment. and she gave him an alk
pealing look. Steady, my dear" She
sank OH the lounge. "I'll be back in z
moment. You have mistaken some one
for. yourself"
( He ran down the stairs, passed into
thesliving room, then the dining room,
aud. pushing a swinging door. stood in
the Kitchen. There on a chair, pale 40
a ghost. supported by the maid, was
hiswife. She gave him an appealing
glance.
ooh. Henry" she cried, ''1m afraid
something awful has happened to mel
"Great Scott" cried the man, "Im
afraid something awful has happened
to met
HAS she gomez"
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 !
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
hfsswife's room and opened n 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-what?
"Some woman resembling you has
scared you ous Of your wits and taken
your jewels"
1.-THE horrid thing!'
Tile police were put on the case and