bruce-第2节

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was　standing　on　her　hind　legs；　her　front　paws　alternately

supporting　her　fragile　weight　on　the　wire　of　the　fence　and　waving

welcomingly　toward　the　boy。　Unknowingly；　she　was　bidding　for　a

master。　And　her　wistful　friendliness　struck　a　note　of　response　in

the　little　fellow's　heart。　For　he；　too；　was　lonesome；　much　of　the

time；　as　is　the　fate　of　a　sickly　only　child　in　an　overbusy　home。

And　he　had　the　true　craving　of　the　lonely　for　dog　comradeship。



He　thrust　his　none…too…clean　hand　through　the　wire　mesh　and

patted　the　puppy's　silky　head。　Lass　wiggled　ecstatically　under

the　unfamiliar　caress。　All　at　once；　in　the　boy's　eyes；　she　became

quite　the　most　wonderful　animal　and　the　very　most　desirable　pet

on　earth；



〃He's　great！〃　sighed　the　youngster　in　admiration；　adding　na？vely：

〃Is　he　Champion　Rothsay　Chiefthe　one　whose　picture　was　in　The

Bulletin　last　Sunday？〃



The　kennel…man　laughed　noisily。　Then　he　checked　his　mirth；　for

professional　reasons；　as　he　remembered　the　nature　of　the　boy's

quest　and　foresaw　a　bare　possibility　of　getting　rid　of　the

unwelcome　Lass。



〃Nope；〃　he　said。　〃This　isn't　Chief。　If　it　was；　I　guess　your　Uncle

Dick's　check　would　have　to　have　four　figures　in　it　before　you

could　make　a　deal。　But　this　is　one　of　Chief's　daughters。　This　is

Rothsay　Lass。　A　grand　little　girl；　ain't　she？　Say；〃in　a

confidential　whisper；〃since　you've　took　a　fancy　for　her；　maybe

I　could　coax　the　old　man　into　lettin'　you　have　her　at　an　easy

price。　He　was　plannin'　to　sell　her　for　a　hundred　or　so。　But　he

goes　pretty　much　by　what　I　say。　He　might　let　her　go　forHow　much

of　a　check　did　you　say　your　uncle　sent　you？〃



〃Twelve　dollars；〃　answered　the　boy；〃one　for　each　year。　Because

I'm　named　for　him。　It's　my　birthday；　you　know。　Butbut　a　dollar

of　it　went　for　the　chain　and　the　collar。　How　much　do　you　suppose

the　gentleman　would　want　for　Rothsay　Lass？〃



The　kennel…man　considered　for　a　moment。　Then　he　went　back　to　the

house；　leaving　the　lad　alone　at　the　gate　of　the　run。　Eleven

dollars；　for　a　high…pedigreed　collie　pup；　was　a　joke　price。　But

no　one　else　wanted　Lass；　and　her　feed　was　costing　more　every　day。

According　to　Rothsay　standards；　the　list　of　brood…females　was

already　complete。　Even　as　a　gift；　the　kennels　would　be　making

money　by　getting　rid　of　the　prick…eared　〃second。〃　Wherefore　he

went　to　consult　with　the　foreman。



Left　alone　with　Lass；　the　boy　opened　the　gate　and　went　into　the

run。　A　little　to　his　surprise　Lass　neither　shrank　from　him　nor

attacked　him。　She　danced　about　his　legs　in　delight；　varying　this

by　jumping　up　and　trying　to　lick　his　excited　face。　Then　she

thrust　her　cold　nose　into　the　cup　of　his　hand　as　a　plea　to　be

petted。



When　the　kennel…man　came　back；　the　boy　was　sitting　on　the　dusty

ground　of　the　run；　and　Lass　was　curled　up　rapturously　in　his　lap；

learning　how　to　shake　hands　at　his　order。



〃You　can　have　her；　the　boss　says；〃　vouchsafed　the　kennel…man。

〃Where's　the　eleven　dollars？〃



By　this　graceless　speech　Dick　Hazen　received　the　key　to　the

Seventh　Paradise；　and　a　life…membership　in　the　world…wide　Order

of　Dog…Lovers。



The　homeward　walk；　for　Lass　and　her　new　master；　was　no　walk　at

all；　but　a　form　of　spiritual　levitation。　The　half…mile　pilgrimage

consumed　a　full　hour　of　time。　Not　that　Lass　hung　back　or　rebelled

at　her　first　taste　of　collar　and　chain！　These　petty　annoyances

went　unfelt　in　the　wild　joy　of　a　real　walk；　and　in　the　infinitely

deeper　happiness　of　knowing　her　friendship…famine　was　appeased　at

last。



The　walk　was　long　for　various　reasonspartly　because；　in　her

frisking　gyrations；　Lass　was　forever　tangling　the　new　chain

around　Dick's　thin　ankles；　partly　because　he　stopped；　every　block

or　so；　to　pat　her　or　to　give　her　further　lessons　in　the　art　of

shaking　hands。　Also　there　were　admiring　boy…acquaintances　along

the　way；　to　whom　the　wonderful　pet　must　be　exhibited。



At　last　Dick　turned　in　at　the　gate　of　a　cheap　bungalow　on　a　cheap

streeta　bungalow　with　a　discouraged　geranium　plot　in　its

pocket…handkerchief　front　yard；　and　with　a　double　line　of　drying

clothes　in　the　no　larger　space　behind　the　house。



As　Dick　and　his　chum　rounded　the　house；　a　woman　emerged　from

between　the　two　lines　of　flapping　sheets；　whose　hanging　she　had

been　superintending。　She　stopped　at　sight　of　her　son　and　the　dog。



〃Oh！〃　she　commented　with　no　enthusiasm　at　all。　〃Well；　you　did　it；

hey？　I　was　hoping　you'd　have　better　sense；　and　spend　your　check

on　a　nice　new　suit　or　something。　He's　kind　of　pretty；　though；〃

she　went　on；　the　puppy's　friendliness　and　beauty　wringing　the

word　of　grudging　praise　from　her。　〃What　kind　of　a　dog　is　he？　And

you're　sure　he　isn't　savage；　aren't　you？〃



〃Collie；〃　answered　Dick　proudly。　〃Pedigreed　collie！　You　bet　she

isn't　savage；　either。　Why；　she's　an　angel。　She　minds　me　already。

Seeshake　hands；　Lass！〃　〃Lass！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Hazen。　〃'SHE！'

Dick；　you　don't　mean　to　tell　me　you've　gone　and　bought　yourself

aa　FEMALE　dog？〃



The　woman　spoke　in　the　tone　of　horrified　contempt　that　might　well

have　been　hers　had　she　found　a　rattlesnake　and　a　brace　of　toads

in　her　son's　pocket。　And　she　lowered　her　voice；　as　is　the　manner

of　her　kind　when　forced　to　speak　of　the　unspeakable。　She　moved

back　from　the　puppy's　politely　out…thrust　forepaw　as　from　the

passing　of　a　garbage　cart。



〃A　female　dog！〃　she　reiterated。　〃Well；　of　all　the　chuckle…heads！

A　nasty　FEMALE　dog；　with　your　birthday　money！〃



〃She's　not　one　bit　nasty！〃　flamed　Dick；　burying　the　grubby

fingers　of　his　right　hand　protectively　in　the　fluffy　mass　of　the

puppy's　half…grown　ruff。　〃She's　the　dandiest　dog　ever！　She〃



〃Don't　talk　back　to　me！〃　snapped　Mrs。　Hazen。　〃Here！　Turn　right

around　and　take　her　to　the　cheats　who　sold　her　to　you。　Tell　them

to　keep　her　and　give　you　the　good　money　you　paid　for　her。　Take

her　out　of　my　yard　this　minute！　Quick！〃



A　hot　mist　of　tears　sprang　into　the　boy's　eyes。　Lass；　with　the

queer　intuition　that　tells　a　female　collie　when　her　master　is

unhappy；　whined　softly　and　licked　his　clenched　hand。



〃Iaw；　PLEASE；　Ma！〃　he　begged　chokingly。　〃PLEASE！　It'sit's　my

birthday；　and　everything。　Please　let　me　keep　her。　II　love　her

better　than　'most　anything　there　is。　Can't　I　please　keep　her？

Please！〃



〃You　heard　what　I　said；〃　returned　his　mother　curtly。



The　washerwoman；　who　one　day　a　week　lightened　Mrs。　Hazen's

household　labors；　waddled　into　view　from　behind　the　billows　of

wind…swirled　clothes。　She　was　an　excellent　person；　and　was　built

for　endurance　rather　than　for　speed。　At　sight　of　Lass　she　paused

in　real　interest。



〃My！〃　she　exclaimed　with　flattering　approval。　〃So　you　got　your

dog；　did　you？　You　didn't　waste　no　time。　And　he's　sure　a　handsome

little　critter。　Whatcher　goin'　to　call　him？〃



〃It's　not　a　him；　Irene；〃　contradicted　Mrs。　Hazen；　with　another

modest　lowering　of　her　strong　voice。　〃It's　a　HER。　And　I'm　sending

Dick　back　with　her；　to　where　she　came　from。　I've　got　my　opinion

of　people　who　will　take　advantage　of　a　child's　ignorance；　by

palming　off　a　horrid　female　dog　on　him；　too。　Take　her　away；　Dick。

I　won't　have　her　here　another　minute。　You　hear　me？〃



〃Please；　Ma！〃　stammered　Dick；　battling　with　his　desire　to　cry。

〃Aw；　PLEASE！　II〃



〃Your　ma's　right；　Dick；〃　chimed　in　the　washerwoman；　her　first

interested　glance　at　the　puppy　changing　to　one　of　refined　and

lofty　scorn。　〃Take　her　back。　You　don't　want　any　female　dogs

around。　No　nice　folks　do。〃



〃Why　not？〃　demanded　the　boy　in　sudden　hopeless　anger　as　he

pressed　lovingly　the　nose　Lass　thrust　so　comfortingly　into　his

hand。　〃WHY　don't　we　want　a　female　dog　around？　Folks　have　female

cats　around　them；　and　female　women。　Why　isn't　a　female　dog〃



〃That　will　do；　Dick！〃　broke　in　his　shocked　mother。　〃Take　her

away。〃



〃I　won't；〃　said　the　boy；　speaking　very　slowly；　and　with　no

excitement　at　all。



A　slap　on　the　side　of　his　head；　from　his　mother's　punitive　palm；

made　him　stagger　a　little。　Her　hand　was　upraised　for　a　second

installment　of　rebellion…quellingwhen　a　slender　little　body

flashed　through　the　air　and　landed　heavily　against　her　chest。　A

set　of　white　puppy…teeth　all　but　grazed　her　wrathful　red　face。



Lass；　who　never　before　had　known　the　impulse　to　attack；　had

jumped　to　the　rescue　of　the　beaten　youngster　whom　she　had　adopted

as　her　god。　The　woman　screeched　in　terror。　Dick　flung　an　arm

about　the　furry　whirlwind　that　was　seeking　to　avenge　his

punishment；　and　pulled　the　dog　back　to　his　side。



Mrs。　Hazen's　shriek；　and　the　obbligato　accompaniment　of　the

washerwoman；　made　an　approaching　man　quicken　his　steps　as　he

strolled　around　the　side　of　the　house。　The　newcomer　was　Dick's

father；　superintendent　of　the　local　bottling　works。　On　his　way

home　to　lunch；　he　walked　in　on　a　scene　of　hysteria。



〃Kill　her；　sir！〃　bawled　the　washerwoman；　at　sight　of　him。　〃Kill

her！　She's　a　mad　dog。　She　just　tried　to　kill　Miz'　Hazen！〃



〃She　didn't　do　any