bruce-第23章

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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　from　his　work　at　sound　of　fast…pattering　feet。　Not　thirty

feet　away；　charging　head　on　at　him；　rushed　the　great　brown…and…

white　collie　he　supposed　had　been　shot。



With　a　jump　of　abject　terror；　Herr　Stolz　sprang　up。　Mingled　with

his　normal　fear　of　the　dog　was　a　tinge　of　superstitious　dread。　He

had　been　so　certain　the　beast　was　shot！　The　doctor　had　given　the

order　for　his　killing。　The　doctor　was　a　commissioned　officer。

Stolz's　German　mind　could　not　grasp　the　possibility　of　a　soldier

disobeying　an　officer's　imperative　command。



The　collie　was　upon　him　by　the　time　the　spy　gained　his　feet。

Stolz　reached　frantically　under　his　dress…folds　for　the　deadly

little　pistol　that　he　always　kept　there。　But　he　was　still　a

novice　in　the　mysteries　of　feminine　apparel。　And；　before　his

fingers　could　close　on　the　weapon；　Bruce's　bared　fangs　were

gleaming　at　his　throat。



Stolz　ceased　to　search　for　the　weapon。　And；　as　before；　he　threw

up　both　frantic　hands　to　ward　off　the　furious　jaws。



He　was　barely　in　time。　Bruce's　white　teeth　drove　deep　into　the

spy's　forearm；　and　Bruce's　eighty　pounds　of　furry　muscular　bulk

smote　Stolz　full　in　the　chest。　Down　went　the　spy；　under　the

terrific　impact；　sprawling　wildly　on　his　back；　and　fighting　with

both　bleeding　hands　to　push　back　the　dog。



Bruce；　collie…fashion；　did　not　stick　to　one　grip；　but　bit　and

slashed　a　dozen　times　in　three　seconds；　tearing　and　rending　his

way　toward　the　throat…hold　he　craved；　driving　through　flesh　of

hands　and　of　forearms　toward　his　goal。



Like　many　another　German；　Stolz　was　far　more　adept　at　causing

pain　than　at　enduring　it。　Also；　from　birth；　he　had　had　an

unconquerable　fear　of　dogs。　His　nerves；　too；　were　not　yet

recovered　from　Bruce's　attack　earlier　in　the　day。　All　this；　and

the　spectral　suddenness　of　the　onslaught；　robbed　him　of　every

atom　of　his　usual　stony　self…control。



Sergeant　Mahan　was　a　good　soldier。　Yet　a　minute　earlier　he　had

almost　ruined　his　reputation　as　such。　He　had　been　hard　put　to　it

to　refrain　from　leaving　the　ranks　of　his　drilling　company；　a

furlong　from　the　rocks；　and　running　at　record　speed　toward　the

boulders。　For　he　had　seen　the　supposed　nurse　pass　that　way。　And

almost　directly　afterward　he　had　seen　Bruce　follow　her　thither。

And　he　could　guess　what　would　happen。



Luckily　for　the　sake　of　discipline；　the　order　of　〃Break　ranks！〃

was　given　before　Mahan　could　disgrace　himself　by　such　unmartial

behavior。　And；　on　the　instant；　the　Sergeant　broke　into　a　run　in

the　direction　of　the　rocks。



Wondering　at　his　eccentric　action；　several　of　the　soldiers

followed。　The　company　captain；　at　sight　of　a　knot　of　his　men

dashing　at　breakneck　speed　toward　the　boulders；　started　at　a　more

leisurely　pace　in　the　same　direction。



Mahan　had　reached　the　edge　of　the　rocks　when　his　ears　were

greeted　by　a　yell　of　mortal　fear。　The　captain　and　the　rest；

catching　the　sound；　went　faster。　Screech　after　screech　rang　from

the　rocky　enclosure。



Mahan　rounded　the　big　boulder　at　the　crest　of　the　ridge　and　flung

himself　upon　the　two　combatants；　as　they　thrashed　about　in　a

tumultuous　dual　mass　on　the　ground。　And　just　then　Bruce　at　last

found　his　grip　on　Stolz's　throat。



A　stoical　German　signal…corps　officer；　on　a　hilltop　some　miles　to

eastward；　laid　aside　his　fieldglass　and　calmly　remarked　to　a

man　at　his　side



〃We　have　lost　a　good　spy！〃



Such　was　the　sole　epitaph　and　eulogy　of　Herr　Heinrich　Stolz；　from

his　army。



Meantime；　Sergeant　Mahan　was　prying　loose　the　collie's　ferocious

jaws　from　their　prey　and　was　tugging　with　all　his　might　to　drag

the　dog　off　the　shrieking　spy。　The　throat…hold；　he　noted；　was　a

bare　inch　from　the　jugular。



The　rest　of　the　soldiers；　rushing　up　pell…mell；　helped　him　pull

the　infuriated　Bruce　from　his　victim。　The　spectacle　of　their

admired　dog…hero；　so　murderously　mauling　a　woman　of　the　Red

Cross；　dazed　them　with　horror。



〃Take　him　AWAY！〃　bellowed　Stolz；　deli