bruce-第18部分

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to　bury　both　hands　in　the　mass　of　Bruce's　furry　ruff　and　to　drag

the　snarlingly　rabid　dog　back　from　his　prey。



The　place　was　in　an　uproar。　Nurses　and　doctors　came　rushing　out

into　the　vestibule；　sick　and　wounded　men　sat　up　on　their　cots　and

eagerly　craned　their　necks　to　catch　sight　of　the　scrimmage。

Soldiers　ran　in　from　the　street。



Strong　as　he　was；　Mahan　had　both　hands　full　in　holding　the

frantic　Bruce　back　from　his　enemy。　Under　the　insult　of　the　kick

from　this　masquerader；　whom　he　had　already　recognized　as　a　foe；

the　collie　had　temporarily　lost　every　vestige　of　his　stately

dignity。　He　was　for　the　moment　merely　a　wild　beast；　seeking

revenge　for　a　brutal　injury。　He　writhed　and　fought　in　Mahan's

grasp。　Never　once　did　he　seek　to　attack　the　struggling　man　who

held　him。　But　he　strained　every　giant　sinew　to　get　at　the　foe　who

had　kicked　him。



The　dog's　opponent　scrambled　to　his　feet；　helped　by　a　dozen

willing　hands　and　accosted　by　as　many　solicitous　voices。　The

victim's　face　was　bone…gray　with　terror。　His　lips　twitched

convulsively。　Yet；　as　befitted　a　person　in　his　position；　he　had　a

splendid　set　of　nerves。　And　almost　at　once　he　recovered　partial

control　over　himself。



〃II　don't　know　how　it　happened；〃　he　faltered；　his　rich

contralto　voice　shaky　with　the　ground…swells　of　his　recent　shock。

〃It　began　when　I　was　sitting　on　the　steps；　sewing。　This　dog　came

past。　He　growled　at　me　so　threateningly　that　I　came　indoors。　A

minute　later；　while　I　was　sitting　here　sewing；　he　sprang　at　me

and　threw　me　down。　I　believe　he　wouldwould　have　killed　me；〃　the

narrator　finished；　with　a　very　genuine　shudder；　〃if　I　had　not

been　rescued　when　I　was。　Such　bloodthirsty　brutes　ought　to　be

shot！〃



〃He　not　only　OUGHT　to　be；〃　hotly　agreed　the　chief　surgeon；　〃but

he　is　GOING　to　be。　Take　him　out　into　the　street；　one　of　you　men；

and　put　a　ball　in　his　head。〃



The　surgeon　turned　to　the　panting　nurse。



〃You're　certain　he　didn't　hurt　you？〃　he　asked。　〃I　don't　want　a

newcomer；　like　yourself；　to　think　this　is　the　usual　treatment　our

nurses　get。　Lie　down　and　rest。　You　look　scared　to　death。　And

don't　be　nervous　about　the　cur　attacking　you　again。　He'll　be　dead

inside　of　three　minutes。〃



The　nurse；　with　a　mumbled　word　of　thanks；　scuttled　off　into　the

rear　of　the　church；　where　the　tumbledown　vestry　had　been　fitted

up　as　a　dormitory。



Bruce　had　calmed　down　somewhat　under　Mahan's　sharp　reproof。　But

he　now　struggled　afresh　to　get　at　his　vanished　quarry。　And　again

the　Sergeant　had　a　tussle　to　hold　him。



〃I　don't　know　what's　got　into　the　big　fellow！〃　exclaimed　Mahan　to

Vivier　as　the　old　Frenchman　joined　the　tumultuous　group。　〃He's

gone　clean　daft。　He'd　of　killed　that　poor　woman；　if　I　hadn't〃



〃Get　him　out　of　here！〃　ordered　the　surgeon。　〃And　clear　out；

yourselves；　all　of　you！　This　rumpus　has　probably　set　a　lot　of　my

patients'　temperatures　to　rocketing。　Take　the　cur　out　and　shoot

him！〃



〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　spoke　up　Mahan；　as　Vivier　stared　aghast　at　the

man　who　commanded　Bruce's　destruction；　〃but　he's　no　cur。　He's　a

courier…collie；　officially　in　the　service　of　the　United　States

Government。　And　he's　the　best　courier…dog　in　France　to…day。　This

is〃



〃I　don't　care　what　he　is！〃　raged　the　surgeon。　〃He〃



〃This　is　Bruce；〃　continued　Mahan；　〃the　dog　that　saved　the　'Here…

We…Comes'　at　Rache；　and　that　steered　a　detail　of　us　to　safety　one

night　in　the　fog；　in　the　Chateau…Thierry　sector。　If　you　order　any

man　of　the　'Here…We…Comes'　to　shoot　Bruce；　you're　liable　to　have

a　mutiny　on　your　handsofficer　or　no　officer。　But　if　you　wish；

sir；　I　can　transmit　your　order　to　the　K。O。　If　he　endorses　it〃



But　the　surgeon　sought；　at　that　moment；　to　save　the　remnants　of

his　dignity　and　of　a　bad　situation　by　stalking　loftily　back　into

the　hospital；　and　leaving　Mahan　in　the　middle　of　his　speech。



〃Or；　sir；〃　the　Sergeant　grinningly　called　after　him；　〃you　might

write　to　the　General　Commanding；　and　tell　him　you　want　Bruce

shot。　The　Big　Dog　always　sleeps　in　the　general's　own　room；　when

he's　off…duty；　at　Division　Headquarters。　Maybe　the　general　will

O。K。　his　death…sentence；　if　you　ask　him　to。　He〃



Somewhat　quickening　his　stately　stride；　the　surgeon　passed　out　of

earshot。　At　the　officers'　mess　of　the　〃Here…We…Comes；〃　he　had

often　heard　Bruce's　praises　sung。　He　had　never　chanced　to　see　the

dog　until　now。　But；　beneath　his　armor　of　dignity；　he　quaked　to

think　what　the　results　to　himself　must　have　been；　had　he　obeyed

his　first　impulse　of　drawing　his　pistol　and　shooting　the　adored

and　pricelessly　useful　collie。



Mahan；stolidly　rejoicing　in　his　victory　over　the　top…lofty

potentate　whom　he　disliked；led　the　way　out　of　the　crowded

vestibule　into　the　street。　Bruce　followed　demurely　at　his　heels

and　Vivier　bombarded　everybody　in　sight　for　information　as　to

what　the　whole　fracas　was　about。



Bruce　was　himself　again。　Now　that　the　detested　man　in　woman's

clothes　had　gone　away；　there　was　no　sense　in　continuing　to

struggle　or　to　waste　energy　in　a　show　of　fury。　Nevertheless；　in

his　big　heart　burned　deathless　hatred　toward　the　German　who　had

kicked　him。　And；　like　an　elephant；　a　collie　never　forgets。



〃But；〃　Vivier　was　demanding　of　everybody；　〃but　why　should　the

gentle　Bruce　have　attacked　a　good　nurse？　It　is　not　what　you　call

'make…sense。'　C'est　un　gentilhomme；　ce　vieux！　He　would　not　attack

a　woman　less　still　a　sister　of　the　Red　Cross。　He〃



〃Of　course　he　wouldn't；〃　glumly　assented　the　downhearted　Mahan。

〃But　he　DID。　That's　the　answer。　I　saw　him　do　it。　He　knocked　her

down　and〃



〃Which　nurse　was　she？〃　asked　a　soldier　who　had　come　up　after　the

trouble　was　over。



〃A　new　one　here。　I　don't　know　her　name。　She　came　last　week。　I　saw

her　when　she　got　here。　I　was　on　duty　at　the　K。O。's　office　when

she　reported。　She　had　a　letter　from　some　one　on　the　surgeon…

general's　staff。　But　why　Bruce　should　have　gone　for　her　to…day

or　for　any　womanis　more　than　I　can　see。　She　was　scared　half　to

death。　It's　lucky　she　heard　the　surgeon　order　him　shot。　She'll

suppose　he's　dead；　by　now。　And　that'll　cure　her　scare。　We　must

try　to　keep　Bruce　away　from　this　end　of　the　street　till　he　goes

back　to　headquarters　to…morrow。〃



As　a　result　Bruce　was　coaxed　to　Mahan's　company…shed　and　by　dint

of　food…gifts　and　petting　was　induced　to　spend　most　of　the　day

there。



At　sunset　Bruce　tired　of　his　dull　surroundings。　Mahan　had　gone　on

duty；　so　had　Vivier；　so　had　others　of　his　friends。　The　dog　was

bored　and　lonely。　Also　he　had　eaten　much。　And　a　walk　is　good；　not

only　for　loneliness；　but　for　settling　an　overfull　stomach。　Bruce

decided　to　go　for　a　walk。



Through　the　irregular　street　of　the　village　he　picked　his　way；

and　on　toward　the　open　country　beyond。　A　sentry　or　two　snapped

fingers　of　greeting　to　him　as　he　strolled　past　them。　The　folk　of

the　village　eyed　his　bulk　and　graceful　dignity　with　something

like　awe。



Beyond　the　hamlet　the　ridge　of　hilltop　ran　on　for　perhaps　a

quarter…mile　before　dipping　into　the　plain　below。　At　one　end　of

this　little　plateau　a　company　of　infantry　was　drilling。　Bruce

recognized　Mahan　among　the　marching　lines；　but　he　saw　his　friend

was　on　duty　and　refrained　from　going　up　to　him。



Above；　the　sunset　sky　was　cloudless。　Like　tiny　specks；　miles　to

eastward；　a　few　enemy　airships　circled　above　the　heap　of

clustered　hills　which　marked　the　nearest　German　position。　The

torn…up　plain；　between；　seemed　barren　of　life。　So；　at　first；　did

the　farther　end　of　the　jutting　ridge　on　which　the　village　was

perched。　But　presently　Bruce's　idly　wandering　eye　was　caught　by　a

flutter　of　white　among　some　boulders　that　clumped　together　on　the

ridge's　brow　farthest　from　the　village。



Some　onea　woman；　from　the　dresswas　apparently　picking　her　way

through　the　boulders。　As　Bruce　moved　forward；　a　big　rock　shut　her

off　from　his　view　and　from　the　view　of　the　hamlet　and　of　the

maneuvering　infantry　company　a　furlong　away。



Just　then　a　puff　of　breeze　blew　from　eastward　toward　the　collie；

and　it　bore　to　him　a　faint　scent　that　set　his　ruff　a…bristle　and

his　soft　brown　eyes　ablaze。　To　a　dog；　a　scent　once　smelled　is　as

recognizable　again　as　is　the　sight　of　a　once…seen　face　to　a

human。　Bruce　set　off　at　a　hand…gallop　toward　the　clump　of

boulders。



The　Red　Cross　nurse；　whom　Bruce　had　so　nearly　killed；　was　off

duty　until　the　night…shift　should　go　on　at　the　hospital。　The

nurse　had　taken　advantage　of　this　brief　surcease　from　toil；　by

going　for　a　little　walk　in　the　cool　sunset　air；　and　had　carried

along　a　bag　of　sewing。



Up　to　three　months　ago　this　nurse　had　been　known　as　Heinrich

Stolz；　and　had　been　a　valued　member　of　the　Wilhelmstrasse's

workingforce　of　secret　agents。　Then；　acting　under　orders；　Herr

Heinrich　Stolz　had　vanished　from　his　accustomed　haunts。　Soon

thereafter　a　Red　Cross　nurseFelicia　Stuart　by　name　had　reported

for　duty　at　Paris；　having　been　transferred　thither　from　Italy；

and　bearing　indubitable　credentials　to　that　effect。



From　carefully　picked…up　information　Stolz　had　just　learned　of

the　expected　arrival　of　the　three　troop…trains　at　the　junction　at

nine　that　evening。　The　tidings　had　interested　him　keenly；　and　he

knew　of　other　people　to　whom　they　would　be　far　more　interesting。



Seating　himself　under　the　lee　of　the　easternmost　rock；　Stolz

primly　opened　his　sewing…bag　and　drew　forth　various　torn

garments。　The　garments　were　for　the　most　part　white；　but　one　or

two　were　of　gaudy　colors。



By　way　of　precaution；　in　case　of　discovery；　the　spy　threaded　a

needle。　Thus；　if　any　one　should　chance　to　see　him　shake　out　a

garment；　preparatory　to　laying　it　on　his　knee　and　mending　it；

there　could　be　no　reasonable　cause　for　suspicion。　Herr　Stolz　was

nothing　if　not　efficient。



He　held　up　the　needle　and　poked　the　thread　at　its　eye　in　truly

feminine　fashion。



He　had　just　finished　this　feat　of　dexterity　when　he　chanced　to

look　up