The Washington times., 1919-04-03
'THE DARK STAR"
Brandes Asks Rue to Remain on the Porch While H'
Enters Her Home and Wins Her Aged Parents
Consent to Marry the Girl.

sponse. All around them repTessed
excitement WAS breaking out; men
stood up and shouted; women rose,
and the club house seemed sudden
ly to blossom like a magic garden
OF wind-tossed howeTs.
Through the increasing cheering
Stull looked on without q sign Of
emotion, although afhuence or ruin,
in the Sanford colors, sat astfide
the golden roam.
Suddenly Ruhannah stood up, one
hand pressed to the iIl-httinG blue
serge over her wildly beating heart.
RrandCs rose beside her. Not
muscle in his features moved.
''Gawd!" whispered Stun in his
ear, as they were leaving.
"Some killing. Benz nodded
BrandJs in his low, deliberate voice
His heavy. round fF was deeply
flushed; Fortune, the noisy Wanton
had flung both arms around his
neck. But his slow eyes were con-
tinually turned on the slim young
girl whom he was teaching to walk
beside him without taking his arm.
"Ain't she on to us?" StulI had in
quired. and Brandes' reply was
correct; Ruhannah never dreamed
that it made a. penny's difference to
Brandes whether Nick Stoner won
or whether il ives Deborah Glenn
which the wild-voiced thronE So
lUt0d.
rney did not remain in Saratoga
for dinner. They took StulI back
TO his hotel on the rumble Of the
rUnabeut, Brandes remarkinE that
- Ln -
teHr be!ors long and suggesting
that Stull look about Sc: aioga fOr
q likei. one.
Hated in the crush before the.
United States Hotel. ;Stull decide
TO descend there. Several men in
the passing crowds bowed l.
BTandes; ono, !Sorton SmANIey,
known to the fraternity as Pat
ron" Smawley, came 0Ut to the curI
to shake hands. Brandes intro
uuced him to Rue as "Parson"
wley-whetheT with some slhis-
ter future purpose already begin
ming 20 take shape in his round
hevry head, or whether . perverted
sense OF huHioT prompted him TO
give Rue the idea that she hSd
been in gedly company, IL is diff
cult to determine.
He added that Miss Carew was
the daughter OF a Clergyman and
"A missionary. And the Parson took
his cue. At any rate Rue, leaning
from her seat. listened to the per
Euesive and finely mo6ulated voice
OF Parson Smawlsy with pleasure.
and found his sleek, grsceful pres
enee and courtly manners most
agreeable. There were no such
persons in Gayfield.
She hoped shyIy, that if he vera
in Gayfield he would call on her
father. Once !n a very long while
clergymeu called on her father. and
their rare visits remained . pleas
ure to the lonely invalid for months.
The Parson promised to call, very
grsvely. II would not have embaT-
raSSed him to do so; 1t was his bust
ness in life to have Q sufficient
knowledge Of every mans business
TO enable him to csnVeTse convinc-
ingIy with anybody.
He took polished leave Of her:
took leave Of Brandes with the
faintest flutteF OF oAe eyelid, ss
though he understood BEandes'
game. Which he did not; nor dld
Brandes himself, entirely.
They had thirty miles 10 90 in
the runsbout So they would not
remain to dinner. Besides, BTandes
did not care to make himself con-
spicuous in public just then. Too
many people knew more or less
about him-the sort Of people who
might possibly be in communication
with his wife. There was no use
slapping chance In the face. Two quiet
visits to the races with Ruhan-
nah was enough for the present.
Even those two visits were scarce
ly discreet 1t was time to 20.
ITO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW