bruce-第16章

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friends　of　the　Red　Cross。　For　his　uncanny　power　of　scent　told　him

the　garments　worn　by　the　impostor　belonged　to　some　one　else。　To

mere　humans；　a　small　and　slender　man；　who　can　act；　and　who　dons

woman's　garb；　is　a　woman。　To　any　dog；　such　a　man　is　no　more　like

a　woman　than　a　horse　with　a　lambskin　saddle…pad　is　a　lamb。　He　is

merely　a　man　who　is　differently　dressed　from　other　meneven　as

this　man　who　had　chirped　to　Bruce；　from　the　church　steps；　was　no

less　a　man　for　the　costume　in　which　he　had　swathed　his　body。　Any

dog；　at　a　glance　and　at　a　sniff；　would　have　known　that。



Women；　for　one　thing；　do　not　usually　smoke　dozens　of　rank　cigars

daily　for　years；　until　their　flesh　is　permeated　with　the　smell　of

tobacco。　A　human　could　not　have　detected　such　a　smellsuch　a

MAN…smell；on　the　person　who　had　chirped　to　Bruce。　Any　dog；

twenty　feet　away；　would　have　noticed　it；　and　would　have　tabulated

the　white…clad　masquerader　as　a　man。　Nor　do　a　woman's　hair　and

skin　carry　the　faint　but　unmistakable　odor　of　barracks　and　of

tent…life　and　of　martial　equipment；　as　did　this　man's。　The

masquerader　was　evidently　not　only　a　man　but　a　soldier。



Dogs；high…strung　dogs；do　not　like　to　have　tricks　played　on

them；　least　of　all　by　strangers。　Bruce　seemed　to　take　the

nurse…disguise　as　a　personal　affront　to　himself。　Then；　too；　the

man　was　not　of　his　own　army。　On　the　contrary；　the　scent

proclaimed　him　one　of　the　horde　whom　Bruce's　friends　so

manifestly　hatedone　of　the　breed　that　had　more　than　once　fired

on　the　dog。



Diet　and　equipment　and　other　causes　give　a　German　soldier　a

markedly　different　scent；　to　dogs'　miraculously　keen　nostrils；

and　to　those　of　certain　humans；from　the　French　or　British　or

American　troops。　War　records　prove　this。　Once　having　learned　the

scent；　and　having　learned　to　detest　it；　Bruce　was　not　to　be

deceived。



For　all　these　reasons　he　had　snarled　loathingly　at　the　man　in

white。　For　these　same　reasons　he　could　not　readily　forget　the

incident；　but　continued　every　now　and　then　to　glance　curiously

across　toward　the　church。



Presently；not　relishing　the　rebukes　of　the　friends　who　had

heretofore　pestered　him　by　overmuch　petting；the　collie　arose

quietly　from　his　couch　of　trampled　earth　at　the　foot　of　the　stone

bench　and　strolled　back　across　the　street。　Most　of　the　men　were

too　busy；　talking；　to　note　Bruce's　departure。　But　Sergeant　Mahan

caught　sight　of　him　just　as　the　dog　was　mounting　the　last　of　the

steps　leading　into　the　church。



As　a　rule；　when　Bruce　went　investigating；　he　walked　carelessly

and　with　his　tail　slightly　a…wag。　Now　his　tail　was　stiff　as　an

icicle；　and　he　moved　warily；　on　the　tips　of　his　toes。　His　tawny…

maned　neck　was　low。　Mahan；　understanding　dogs；　did　not　like　the

collie's　demeanor。　Remembering　that　the　nurse　had　entered　the

church　a　few　minutes　earlier；　the　Sergeant　got　to　his　feet　and

hastily　followed　Bruce。



The　dog；　meanwhile；　had　passed　through　the　crazily　splintered

doorway　and　had　paused　on　the　threshold　of　the　improvised

hospital；　as　the　reek　of　iodoform　and　of　carbolic　smote　upon　his

sensitive　nostrils。　In　front　of　him　was　the　stone…paved

vestibule。　Beyond　was　the　interior　of　the　shattered　church；　lined

now　with　double　rows　of　cots。



Seated　on　a　camp…chair　in　the　shadowy　vestibule　was　the　pseudo

Red　Cross　nurse。　At　sight　of　the　collie　the　nurse　got　up　in　some

haste。　Bruce；　still　walking　stiff…legged；　drew　closer。



Out　from　under　the　white　skirt　flashed　a　capable　and　solidly…

shod　foot。　In　a　swinging　kick；　the　foot　let　drive　at　the　oncoming

dog。　Before　Bruce　could　dodge　or　could　so　much　as　guess　what　was

coming；the　kick　smote　him　with　agonizing　force；　square　on　the

shoulder。



To　a　spirited　collie；　a　kick　carries　more　than　the　mere　pain　of

its　inflicting。　It　is　a　grossly　unforgivable　affront　as　wellas

many　a　tramp　and　thief　have　learned；　at　high　cost。



By　the　time　the　kick　had　fairly　landed；　Bruce　had　recovered　from

his　instant　of　incredulous　surprise；　and　with　lightning　swiftness

he　hurled　himself　at　his　assailant。



No　bark　or　growl　heralded　the　murderous　throatlunge。　It　was　all

the　more　terrible　for　the　noiselessness　wherewith　it　was

delivered。　The　masquerading　man　saw　it　coming；　just　too　late　to

guard　against　it。　He　lurched　backward；　belatedly　throwing　both

hands　up　to　defend　his　throat。　It　was　the　involuntary　backward

step　which　saved　his　jugular。　For　his　heel　caught　in　the　hem　of

his　white　skirt。　And　wholly　off　balance；　he　pitched　headlong　to

the　floor。



This　jerky　shift　of　position；　on　the　part　of　the　foe；　spoiled

Bruce's　aim。　His　fearful　jaws　snapped　together　harmlessly　in

empty　air　at　a　spot　where；　a　fraction　of　a　second　earlier；　the

other's　throat　had　been。　Down　crashed　the　disguised　man。　And　atop

of　him　the　furious　dog　hurled　himself；　seeking　a　second　time　the

throatgrip　he　had　so　narrowly　missed。



At　this　point　on　the　program　Sergeant　Mahan　arrived　just　in　time

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