The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-05-27

ing, Mrs. Davenport consented to al
low the sleepy doctor to retire to his
well-earned repose, whilst she declared
that she would rest as well as she
could in an easy chair down in his
consulting room.
Thirty-seven, thirty-nine and forty
one were at peace at last, and Mrs.
Davenport, wrapped in her cloak and
in a warm room in the house of
neighbor and a friend, grew composed,
and finally laughed at her adventure.
1t would be a good joke next morning;
but as for Orlando, her coIored waiter,
there was lookout for him of the
blacklist! Then poor Mr.. Davenport,
how alarmed he would be! But she
would watch and see the servants
begin to open the house, and steal in
before he walked up. So saying, she
fell sound asleep in the chair.
At length, Mr.. Davenport, like all
heavy sleepers. woke up suddenly and
entirely. He did not know why, but
it seemed to him that he had a dis
turbed night. AS he lay tying to col
lect his faculties, he heard the clock
strike four.
"How quiet Coralie is ~ said Mr..
Davenport; tired after the ball,
suppose"
Mr.. Davenport listened to hear,
through the open door and curtained
recess, the quiet breathing of his wife
in the next room. She was strangely
still, and Mr.. Davenport arose softly
and crept in to see what could be the
matter.
"Heavens" said he; nobody in
the bedl Coralie not home at four
o'clockW
Mr.. Davenport paused a moment.
Could the horses have run away /?
Could the coachman have been drunk?
That had happened before. Could his
poor wife have been thrown, dragged
no, the idea was too horrible. Could
she have been looked out. He felt the
cold perspiration start on his brow.
He rang every bell in the house; he
proceeded to dress himself He
danced, in his agony and agitation.
Then, as his sleepy servants began to
appear and one after the other dis
claimed any knowledge of their mis-
tress, he descended to the front door.
There lay Mrs. Davenport's fan, hand
kerchief and gloves. She had been
home; she had failed to gain admit
lance; she had either been ruthlessly
carried off, or she bad committed sui
eide. Mr.. Davenport lost his head.
She may have gone to her sister
or to some hotel" said her maid,
What, at three in the morning,
you wretched sleepy head" said Mr..
Davenport wildly.
To discharge Orlando, to go for the
police, to rouse the world, these were
his first ideas. He rang up every sig
nal officer in town. The whole ma
chinery of public service was at work
to find the missing lady.
Mr.. Davenport went after his coach
man who, though fully testifying to
the fact that he had been drunk, could
swear that he left the lady at her own
door, at about half-past two in the
morning. To take carriage, to drive
to Mrs. Davenport's sisters, to all the
hotels, these were tae duties which
the wretched man took upon himself.
In the meantime Mrs. Davenport
slept sweetly in the DOCTORS arm chair
until the housemaid coming In, ut
tered loud shrek and cried
"Robbers !"
To pacify her, to rouse herself, to
step out of the DOCTORS front door and
into her own house was the work of
moment. Mrs. Davenport found all
of her people at home and thoroughly
awake, but where was Mr.. Davenport?
Knowing his temperament, Mrs. Da-
venport felt sure that he would not
return until he had dragged the East
river. She was at home, all right.
and proceeded like calm woman to
get off her ball dress, satin shoes and
silken hose, and to put on her dress
ine-gown, take cup of tea, get warm
and then reflect upon what should be
done with Mr.. Davenport's case.
" 1t will all be in the papers. - said
her president soul. g This very even.
ing at the farthest; I will telegraph
everywhere" she remarked, ringing
for "a messenger boy.
"Hello!" said a man at the signal
station; this is queer! Here is a
man trying to find his wife, and now
there comes along woman irving to
find her husband, and they are both
named-Davenport."
dare say-nothing to each other
common name-coincidence. said
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