further adventures of lad-第16节
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To his ears came a far…off muffled wail；a wail which held more than unhappiness；a wail which vibrated with real terror。 And he knew the voice for Lady's。
To his sensitive nostrils； through the intervening distance and the obstructing walls and windows； drifted a faint reek of smoke。
Now； the smoke…smell； by itself； meant nothing whatever to Lad。 All evening a trace of it had hung in the air； from the brush fire。 And； in any case； this whiff was too slight to have emanated from the house or from any spot near the house。 Yet； taken together with Lady's cry of fear
Lad crossed to the front door； and scratched imperiously at it。 The locked door did not yield to his push。 Too sensible to keep on at a portal he could not open； he ran upstairs； to the closed door of the Master's room。 There； again he scratched； this time harder and more loudly。 Twice and thrice he scratched； whining under his breath。
At last the deep…slumbering Master heard him。 Rousing himself； and still three…quarters asleep； he heard not only the scratching and the whimper but； in the distance； Lady's wail of fear。 And； sleep…drugged； he mumbled
〃Shut up； Laddie！I hear her。Let her howl。If she's lonely； down there； she'llshe'll remember the lessonall the better。 Go downstairs andbe quiet！〃
He fell sound asleep again。 Obedient to the slumbrous mandate； Lad turned and pattered mournfully away。 But； he was not content to return to his own nap； with that terror…cry of Lady's echoing in his ears。 And he made a second attempt to get out。
At each side of the piano； in the music room； was a long French window。 Often； by day； Lad used to pass in or out of these door…like windows。 He knew that they； as well as the doors； were a recognized means of exit。 Now； with eagerly scratching paw； he pushed at the nearest of them。
The house was but carelessly locked at night。 For Lad's presence downstairs was a better burglar…preventive than the best bolts ever forged。 Tired and drowsy； the Master； this night； had neglected to bar the French windows。
The window gave； at Lad's vehement scratch； and swung outward on its hinges。 A second later； the big dog was running at top speed toward the tool…house。
Now； the ways of the most insignificant brushfire are beyond the exact wisdom of man。 Especially in droughty weather。 When they knocked off work for the day； the two laborers had gone back to the blaze beyond the tool…house and conscientiously had scattered and stamped on its last visible remnants。 The Master； too； coming home from his evening walk； had glanced toward the back garden and had seen no telltale spark to hint at life in the trampled fire。
Nevertheless； a scrap of ember； hidden from the men's gaze beneath a handful of dead leaves had refused to perish with its comrade…sparks。 And； in the course of five hours； an industrious little flicker had ignited other bits of brush and of dried leafage and last year's weed stumps。 The wind was in the north。 And it had guided the course of the crawling thread of red。 The advancing line had thrown out tendrils of scarlet； as it went。
Most of these had died； in the plowed ground。 One had not。 It had crept on； half…extinguished at times and again snapping merrily； until it had reached the tool…house。 The shed…like room stood on low joists； with a clear space ten inches high between its flimsy board floor and the ground。 And； in this space； the leaves of the preceding autumn had drifted in windrows。 The persevering spark did the rest。
Lady woke from a fitful doze； to find herself choking from smoke。 The boards of the floor were too hot for endurance。 Between their cracks thin wavery slices of smoke were pouring upward into the room。 The leaves had begun to ignite the floor…boards and the lower part of the ramshackle building's thin walls。
While the pain and humiliation of her whipping had not been able to wring a sound from the young thoroughbred； yet fright of this sort was afar different thing。 Howling with panic terror； she dashed about the small enclosure； clawing frantically at door and scantling。 Once or twice she made half…hearted effort to spring up at the closed window。 But； from lack of running…space as well as from lack of nerve to make the high leap； she failed。
Across the lawn and door…yard and around the end of the stables thundered Lad。 With the speed of a charging bull he came on。 Before he reached the burning shack； he knew more of his mate's plight and peril than any human could have known。
Around the small building he whirled； so close to it that the flames at its base seared his mighty coat and blistered and blackened his white paws。
Then； running back a yard or so； he flung his eighty…pound weight crashingly at the fastened door。 The door； as it chanced； was well…nigh the only solid portion of the shack。 And it held firm； under an impact that bruised the flying dog and which knocked him breathless to the fire…streaked ground。
At sound of her mate's approach； Lady had ceased wailing。 Lad could hear her terrified whimpers as she danced frantically about on the red…hot boards。 And the knowledge of her torture drove him momentarily insane。
Staggering up from his fall； he flung his splendid head back and； with muzzle to the clouded skies； he tore to shreds the solemn silences of the spring night with a wolf…howl； hideous in its savage grief； deafeningly loud。
As though the awesome yell had cleared his brain； he sprang to his feet amid the stinging embers； steady； alert； calm； with no hint of despair or of surrender。
His smarting eyes fixed themselves on the single dusty window of the tool…house。 Its sill was a full five feet above ground。 Its four small panes were separated by a wide old…fashioned cross…piece of hardwood and putty。 The putty； from age； was as solid as cement。 The whole window was a bare sixteen by twenty inches。
Lad ran back； once more； a few feet； his gaze fixed appraisingly on the window and measuring his distance with the sureness of a sharpshooter。
The big collie had made up his mind。 His plan was formed。 And as he was all…wise； with the eerie wisdom of the highest type of collie； there can be scant doubt he knew just what that plan entailed。
It was suicide。 But； oh； it was a glorious suicide！ Compared to it the love…sacrifices of a host of Antonys and Abelards and Romeos are but petty things。 Indeed； its nearest approach in real life was perhaps Moore's idiotically beautiful boast
Through the fiery furnace your steps I'll pursue； To find you and save you：or perish there； too！
The great dog gathered himself for the insane hero…deed。 His shaggy body whizzed across the scarlet pattern of embers； then shot into the air。 Straight as a flung spear he flew； hurtling through the flame…fringed billows of smoke。
Against the shut window he crashed； with the speed of a catapult。 Against it he crashed； and clean through it； into the hell of smoke and fire and strangulation inside the shack。
His head had smashed the strong cross…piece of wood and dried putty and had crumpled it like so much wet paper。 His giant shoulders had ripped the window…frame clean of its screws。 Into the burning room spun Lad； amid a hail of broken glass and splintered wood。
To the fire…eaten floor he was hurled； close to his cowering and whimpering mate。 He reeled to his feet； and stood there； shoulder to shoulder with Lady。 His work was done。
And； yet； it was not in Sunnybank Lad's nature to be such a fool as is the usual melodrama hero。 True； he had come to share Lady's fate； if he could not rescue her。 Yet； he would not submit tamely to death； until every resource had been tried。
He glanced at the door。 Already he had found by harsh experience that his strength availed nothing in the battering down of those strong panels。 And he peered up； through the swirling red smoke； toward the oblong of window； whereby he had made his tumultuous entrance to the death…trap。
Again； he must have known how hopeless of achievement was the feat he was about to try。 But； as ever； mere obstacles were not permitted to stand in Lad's way。
Wheeling； he seized Lady by the nape of the neck。 With a mighty heave； he swung her clear of the hot floor。 Gathering all his fierce strength into one sublime effort； he sprang upward toward the window； his mate hanging from his iron jaws。
Yes； it was a ridiculous thing to attempt。 No dog； with thrice Lad's muscular strength； could have accomplished the impossibility of springing out through that high； narrow window； carrying a weight of fifty pounds between his teeth。
Lad's leap did not carry him half the distance he had aimed for。 Back to the floor he fell； Lady with him。
Maddened by pain and by choking and by stark terror； Lady had not the wit to realize what Lad was attempting。 All she knew was that he had seized her roughly by the neck； and had leaped in air with her； and had then brought her bangingly down upon the torturing hot boards。 And her panic was augmented by delirious rage。
At Lad's face she flew； snarling murderously。 One slash of her curving eyetooth laid bare his cheek。 Then she drove for his throat。
Lad stood stock still。 His only move was to interpose his shaggy shoulder to her ravening jaws。 And； deep into t
