The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-25
THE LONG CHASE.


Diana Davenport was an acknowledged
queen in society when l first Knew her,
and it did not take me long to discover
that Phil loved her, and l had already
begun to look upon Phil as married
man, when one night he burst into the
ROOM, flung his hat in one corner, his
cane in another. aud sinking into a
chair, covered his face with his hands
and gave vent to groan of halt-sup-
pressed agony.
"Why, Phil" I said, Fastening over to
him, hdas.raG .,are % 20" hugt' Has any accident
looked at him from head to foot, hall
expecting to see the blood 1low from re-
cent wound.
"lhere are no limbs broken, Hail." he
said, looking up with face SO distorted
and pale scarcely knew it for his own;
deatn-blow. Diana belongs TO anoth.
erv'
"MarriedW gasped.
"Just the same. She's been engaged
to colonel in the army for two years
They are to be married this fall"
"Why, what a monstrous"- But Phi
put his hand on my arm.
"Dont, Hail." he said, pleadingly. 81
can't bear it; besides, think she scarce
ly knew the danger we were in till il
| was too late. l believe she loves ME
Hal, as l love her, as | shall always love
her to the last moment ofmy lileP'
"Can nothing be donew l asked,
"Nothing," he replied" with an accent
of despair. "Only let us get away from
here as soon. as possible; let us hastel
our plans Tor travel. beg of you, Hal
put as many miles between me and hei
us you can"
A fortnight alterward we were upon
the ocean.
"One night we sat outside the tents
in africa, wnithcr we had gone with q
party on IA hunting tour, Phil and /, anC
smoked long and contemplatiyely.
He held an old newspaper to his eyes
for moment, then dropped it, and start.
ed to his feet, looking about him as il be-
wildered.
"What is it, Philip cried, rushing for
my ritle-'a lion? serpent"
'sl1e sank back upon the smooth bit Of
| alkali that served him for seat, pickeC
UP the newspaper again, and read, in {
trembling voice, that Colonel John Tai
bot had been killed on the American
plains by the Indians.
That's rather rough for Talbot" ! re
marked; "but can't exactly zee how i
| atfects u.s."
"Colonel John Talbot" repeated Phil
in an impressive whisper, ''is the man II
whom Diana was engagedw
"a widoww | murmured, with the ac
cent of a Weller.
| Pnii looked at the date of the newspa
per, and found it had been printed onl,
a fortnight after we lett the old 'colleg
late town.
II might, after all, have been frs
man." remarked.
Nothing now would do but to take u
the thread of life for Phil where it wa
SO rudely snapt asunder.
"All these months of travel, Hail." h
said, with the peculiar seltishness of
lover, ''have been merely existence TO
me, not life. Let me so back, my friend
to the air 1 can breathe, the air that
shared by Dianaw
Phil was obliged to submit to destiny
Life was dearer to him than it had bee
of late, and he was not prepared to strik
of into the wilderness alone. L notice
he was for the first time prudent i'll tn
hunt on the following day, and that h
began to make u virtue or patience. FO
my part, L was sorry for Phil, but, never
theless, the pacyderms had wonderfu
4 fascination about them.
i After the pachyderms came lions
which were not quite SO interesting, fc
various reasons. In the trst place,
had seen so many lions in menagerie
and shows of all kinds-and lion ism
, half so nice in some positions AS in.
cage. For instance, suppose you al
fool enough to join party OF NADINE
who track these animals to detile
the mountains, and attack them, as yo
might say, with their foot upon the
native heathy and get just little simp
,, tap with one of their claws that breal
YOUR collar-bOne, lays open your chez
bulls down the skin of your forehea
over your eyes, and smashes your rial
= arm in two places. 1t seems to me nat
! raj to prefer looking at them from b
= hind good stout railing, with the d
. moralization of captivity on their side.
a At all events, poor Phil had to nur
me for many a long month after that liz
: hunt, and it was we'll into the followii
year when we at last found ourselves {
!: an Atlantic steamer, bound for home.
Phil and l were old travellers by tn
time, and the wild freshness Of enthu
~ asm that seized upon some OF our fello
i voyagers as they neared their natl
n shores was with us toned down to a cal
% but profound conviction that Ameri
a was the only country in the world wor
= the rational affection of an experience
: and cultivated mind.
N II had been looking through the glass
e While, and was about handing it over
,r iellow-passenger who had eyed !
n with devouring envy the while, wher
% big steamer, outward bound, glided clio
,s by our side, and could see The faces
=. the party nearest me.
70 One last fieeting glance Of mine CT
!. tanned revelation. glued my eye
" the glass again. Right opposite me tht
shone two soft glowing obs, wonderful
familiar. The face was one not cas-
le forgotten, the form full, shapely, W
is peculiar serpentine grace about it..
ot "Phil," said, putting the glass in
a hand, "look over there at that group
v, ladies'"
ie He took it lapguidly, but having look
I'd a quick, eager gasp escaped him,
p- dl opped the glass into the hands Of
W enVious iellow-passenger, and seized
ed arm with sudden frenzy.
ut "She Is going outp' he said.
IN "While we, alas! are going in,''
,e, added.
be "But this is monstrous,n he cried.
he dismay. 'tWe can't 60 in we must foil
all her."
Gu Here again was the absurdity of a e
ho ish passion. II would have been usel
in to relate 10 the Captain that my frie
seeing person he was interested In