The Dark Star

by Robert W. Chambers

  CHAPTER VIII

  A CHANGE IMPENDS

  The racing season at Saratoga drew toward its close, and Brandes hadappeared there only twice in person, both times with a very younggirl.

  "If you got to bring her here to the races, can't you get her someclothes?" whispered Stull in his ear. "That get-up of hers issomething fierce."

  Late hours, hot weather, indiscreet nourishment, and the feverishanxiety incident to betting other people's money had told on Stull.His eyes were like two smears of charcoal on his pasty face; sourly hewent about the business which Brandes should have attended to, nursingresentment--although he was doing better than Brandes had hoped todo.

  Their joint commission from his winnings began to assume considerableproportions; at track and club and hotel people were beginning to turnand stare when the little man with the face of a sick circus clownappeared, always alone, greeting with pallid indifference hisacquaintances, ignoring overtures, noticing neither sport, norfashion, nor political importance, nor yet the fair and frail whosecuriosity and envy he was gradually arousing.

  Obsequiousness from club, hotel, and racing officials made noimpression on him; he went about his business alone, sullen,preoccupied, deathly pale, asking no information, requesting nofavours, conferring with nobody, doing no whispering and enduringnone.

  After a little study of that white, sardonic, impossible face, peoplewho would have been glad to make use of him became discouraged. Andthose who first had recognised him in Saratoga found, at the end ofthe racing month, nothing to add to their general identification ofhim as "Ben Stull, partner of Eddie Brandes--Western sports."

  * * * * *

  Stull, whispering in Brandes' ear again, where he sat beside him inthe grand stand, added to his earlier comment on Ruhannah'sappearance:

  "Why don't you fix her up, Eddie? It looks like you been robbing acountry school."

  Brandes' slow, greenish eyes marked sleepily the distant dust, whereMr. Sanford's Nick Stoner was leading a brilliant field, steadilyoverhauling the favourite, Deborah Glenn.

  "When the time comes for me to fix her up," he said between thin lipswhich scarcely moved, "she'll look like Washington Square in May--notlike Fifth Avenue and Broadway."

  Nick Stoner continued to lead. Stull's eyes resembled two holes burntin a sheet; Brandes yawned. They were plunging the limit on theSanford favourite.

  As for Ruhannah, she sat with slender gloved hands tightly clasped,lips parted, intent, fascinated with the sunlit beauty of the scene.

  Brandes looked at her, and his heavy, expressionless features alteredsubtly:

  "Some running!" he said.

  A breathless nod was her response. All around them repressedexcitement was breaking out; men stood up and shouted; women rose, andthe club house seemed suddenly to blossom like a magic garden ofwind-tossed flowers.

  Through the increasing cheering Stull looked on without a sign ofemotion, although affluence or ruin, in the Sanford colours, satastride the golden roan.

  Suddenly Ruhannah stood up, one hand pressed to the ill-fitting blueserge over her wildly beating heart. Brandes rose beside her. Not amuscle in his features moved.

  * * * * *

  "Gawd!" whispered Stull in his ear, as they were leaving.

  "Some killing, Ben!" nodded Brandes in his low, deliberate voice. Hisheavy, round face was deeply flushed; Fortune, the noisy wanton, hadflung both arms around his neck. But his slow eyes were continuallyturned on the slim young girl whom he was teaching to walk beside himwithout taking his arm.

  "Ain't she on to us?" Stull had enquired. And Brandes' reply wascorrect; Ruhannah never dreamed that it made a penny's difference toBrandes whether Nick Stoner won or whether it was Deborah Glenn whichthe wild-voiced throng saluted.

  * * * * *

  They did not remain in Saratoga for dinner. They took Stull back tohis hotel on the rumble of the runabout, Brandes remarking that hethought he should need a chauffeur before long and suggesting thatStull look about Saratoga for a likely one.

  Halted in the crush before the United States Hotel, Stull decided todescend there. Several men in the passing crowds bowed to Brandes;one, Norton Smawley, known to the fraternity as "Parson" Smawley, cameout to the curb to shake hands. Brandes introduced him to Rue as"Parson" Smawley--whether with some sinister future purpose alreadybeginning to take shape in his round, heavy head, or whether aperverted sense of humour prompted him to give Rue the idea that shehad been in godly company, it is difficult to determine.

  He added that Miss Carew was the daughter of a clergyman and amissionary. And the Parson took his cue. At any rate Rue, leaning fromher seat, listened to the persuasive and finely modulated voice ofParson Smawley with pleasure, and found his sleek, graceful presenceand courtly manners most agreeable. There were no such persons inGayfield.

  She hoped, shyly, that if he were in Gayfield he would call on herfather. Once in a very long while clergymen called on her father, andtheir rare visits remained a pleasure to the lonely invalid formonths.

  The Parson promised to call, very gravely. It would not haveembarrassed him to do so; it was his business in life to have asufficient knowledge of every man's business to enable him to converseconvincingly with anybody.

  He took polished leave of her; took leave of Brandes with the faintestflutter of one eyelid, as though he understood Brandes' game. Which hedid not; nor did Brandes himself, entirely.

  * * * * *

  They had thirty miles to go in the runabout. So they would not remainto dinner. Besides, Brandes did not care to make himself conspicuousin public just then. Too many people knew more or less about him--thesort of people who might possibly be in communication with his wife.There was no use slapping chance in the face. Two quiet visits to theraces with Ruhannah was enough for the present. Even those two visitswere scarcely discreet. It was time to go.

  Stull and Brandes stood consulting together beside the runabout; Ruesat in the machine watching the press of carriages and automobiles onBroadway, and the thronged sidewalks along which brilliant, animatedcrowds were pouring.

  "I'm not coming again, Ben," said Brandes, dropping his voice. "No useto hunt the limelight just now. You can't tell what some of thesepeople might do. I'll take no chances that some fresh guy might try tostart something."

  "Stir up Minna?" Stull's lips merely formed the question, and his eyeswatched Ruhannah.

  "They couldn't. What would she care? All the same, I play safe, Ben.Well, be good. Better send me mine on pay day. I'll need it."

  Stull's face grew sourer:

  "Can't you wait till she gets her decree?"

  "And lose a month off? No."

  "It's all coming your way, Eddie. Stay wise and play safe. Don't startanything now----"

  "It's safe. If I don't take September off I wait a year formy--honeymoon. And I won't. See?"

  They both looked cautiously at Ruhannah, who sat motionless, absorbedin the turmoil of vehicles and people.

  Brandes' face slowly reddened; he dropped one hand on Stull's shoulderand said, between thin lips that scarcely moved:

  "She's all I'm interested in. You don't think much of her, Ben. Sheisn't painted. She isn't dolled up the way you like 'em. But thereisn't anything else that matters very much to me. All I want in theworld is sitting in that runabout, looking out of her kid eyes at athousand or two people who ain't worth the pair of run-down shoesshe's wearing."

  But Stull's expression remained sardonic and unconvinced.

  So Brandes got into his car and took the wheel; and Stull watched themthreading a tortuous path through the traffic tangle of Broadway.

  They sped past the great hotels, along crowded sidewalks, along thepark, and out into an endless stretch of highway where hundreds ofother cars were travelling in the same direction.

  "Did you have a good time?" h
e inquired, shifting his cigar andkeeping his narrow eyes on the road.

  "Yes; it was beautiful--exciting."

  "Some horse, Nick Stoner! Some race, eh?"

  "I was so excited--with everybody standing up and shouting. And suchbeautiful horses--and such pretty women in their wonderful dresses!I--I never knew there were such things."

  He swung the car, sent it rushing past a lumbering limousine, slowed alittle, gripped his cigar between his teeth, and watched the road,both hands on the wheel.

  Yes, things were coming his way--coming faster and faster all thewhile. He had waited many years for this--for material fortune--forthat chance which every gambler waits to seize when the psychologicalsecond ticks out. But he never had expected that the chance was toinclude a very young girl in a country-made dress and hat.

  As they sped westward the freshening wind from distant pine woodswhipped their cheeks; north, blue hills and bluer mountains beyondtook fairy shape against the sky; and over all spread the tremendousheavens where fleets of white clouds sailed the uncharted wastes, andother fleets glimmered beyond the edges of the world, hull down, onvast horizons.

  "I want to make you happy," said Brandes in his low, even voice. Itwas, perhaps, the most honest statement he had ever uttered.

  Ruhannah remained silent, her eyes riveted on the far horizon.

  * * * * *

  It was a week later, one hot evening, that he telegraphed to Stull inSaratoga:

  "Find me a chauffeur who will be willing to go abroad. I'll give youtwenty-four hours to get him here."

  The next morning he called up Stull on the telephone from the drugstore in Gayfield:

  "Get my wire, Ben?"

  "Yes. But I----"

  "Wait. Here's a postscript. I also want Parson Smawley. I want him toget a car and come over to the Gayfield House. Tell him I count onhim. And he's to wear black and a white tie."

  "Yes. But about that chauffeur you want----"

  "Don't argue. Have him here. Have the Parson, also. Tell him to bringa white tie. Understand?"

  "Oh, yes, I understand you, Eddie! You don't want anything of me, doyou! Go out and get that combination? Just like that! What'll I do?Step into the street and whistle?"

  "It's up to you. Get busy."

  "_As_ usual," retorted Stull in an acrid voice. "All the same. I'mtelling you there ain't a chauffeur you'd have in Saratoga. Who handedyou that dope?"

  "Try. I need the chauffeur part of the combine, anyway. If he won'tgo abroad, I'll leave him in town. Get a wiggle on, Ben. How'sthings?"

  "All right. We had War-axe and Lady Johnson. Some killing, eh? Thatstable is winning all along. We've got Adriutha and Queen Esthertoday. The Ocean Belle skate is scratched. Doc and Cap and me is thickwith the Legislature outfit. We'll trim 'em tonight. How are youfeeling, Eddie?"

  "Never better. I'll call you up in the morning. Ding-dong!"

  "Wait! Are you really going abroad?" shouted Stull.

  But Brandes had already hung up.

  He walked leisurely back to Brookhollow through the sunshine. He hadnever been as happy in all his life.