his dog(狗儿莱德)-第19节
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dearie。 Honest； you have。 Can't you understand？ Your little finger means
a heap more to me than ev'rything else there isexcept the rest of you〃
〃And your dog；〃 she supplemented。
〃No！〃 he denied fiercely。 〃You got no right to say that！ But Chum's
served me faithful。 And I can't kick him out like he was a〃
〃Now you are getting angry again！〃 she accused； pale and furious。 〃I
don't care to be howled at。 The case stands like this： You must choose
whether to get rid of that dog or to lose me。 Take your choice。 If〃
〃I read in a story book about a feller that had a thing like that put up to
him；〃 said poor Link； unable to believe she was in earnest。 〃His girl said：
'You gotta choose between me and tobacco。' And he said： 'I'll choose
tobacco。 Not that I value tobacco so all…fired much；' he says； 'but because a
girl； who'd make a man take such a choice； ain't worth giving up tobacco
for。' You see； dearie； it's this way 〃
〃You'll have that dog out of your house and out of your possession；
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inside of twenty…four hours；〃 she decreed； the white anger of a grave…eyed
woman making her cold voice vibrate； 〃or you will drop my acquaintance。
That is final。 And it's definite。 The engagement is overuntil I hear that
your dog is killed or given away or sold。 Good night！〃
She left the room in vindictive haste。 So overwhelmingly angry was
she that she closed the door softly behind her； instead of slamming it。
Through all his swirl of misery Link had sense enough to note this final
symptom and wonder bitterly at it。
On his way out of the house he was hailed by a highpitched baby voice
from somewhere above him。 Olive had crawled out of bed； and in her
white flannel pajamas she was leaning over the upper balustrade。
〃Link！〃 she called down to the wretched man at the front door。 〃When
you and Dorcas gets married together； I'm comin' to live wiv you！ Then I
can play wiv Chummie all I want to！〃
Link bolted out to the street in the midst of her announcement。 And； so
occupied was he in trying to swallow a lump in his own throat； he failed to
hear the sound of stifled sobbing from behind a locked door somewhere in
the upper reaches of the house。
As the night wore on； the sleepless girl sought to comfort herself in the
thought that Link had not definitely refused her terms。 A night's reflection
and an attitude of unbending aloofness on her own part might well bring
him to a surrender。
Perhaps it was something in Link Ferris's dejected gait； as he turned
into his own lane that night； perhaps it was the instinct which tells a collie
when a loved human is unhappybut Chum was at once aware of his
master's woe。 The dog； at first sound of Link's approaching steps； bounded
from his vigil place on the porch and frisked joyously through the
darkness to meet him。 He sent forth a trumpeting bark of welcome as he
ran。
Thenfifty feet from the oncoming manthe big collie halted and
stood for an instant with ears cocked and eyes troubled。 After which he
resumed his advance； but at a solemn trot and with downcast mien。 As he
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reached Link； the collie whined softly under his breath； gazing wistfully
up into Ferris's face and then thrusting his cold nose lovingly into one of
the man's loose… hanging hands。
Link had winced visibly at sound of the jubilantly welcoming bark。
Now； noting the sudden change in the collie's demeanor； he stooped and
caught the silken head between his hands。 The gesture was rough； almost
painful。 Yet Chum knew it was a caress。 And his drooping plume of a tail
began to wag in response。
〃Oh； CHUM！〃 exclaimed the man with something akin to a groan。
〃You know all about it； don't you； old friend？ You know I'm the miser'blest
man in North Jersey。 You know it without me having to say a word。 And
you're doing your level best to comfort me。 Just like you always do。 You
never get cranky； and you never say I gotta choose betwixt this and that；
and you never get sore at me。 You're just my chum。 And you're fool
enough to think I'm all right。 Yet she says I gotta get rid of you！〃
The dog pressed closer to him； still whining softly and licking the
roughly caressing hands。
〃What'm I going to do； Chummie？〃 demanded Link brokenly。
〃What'm I going to do about it？ I s'pose any other feller'd call me a fool
like she thinks I am and tell me to sell you。 If you was some dogs； that'd
be all right。 But not with YOU； Chum。 Not with you。 You'd mope and
grieve for me； and you'd be wond'ring why I'd deserted you after all these
years。 And you'd get to pining and maybe go sick。 And the feller that
bought you wouldn't understand。 And most likely he'd whale you for not
being more chipper…like。 And you haven't ever been hit。 I'dI'd a blame'
sight sooner shoot you； than to let anyone else have you； to abuse you and
let you be unhappy for me； Chum。 A blame' sight rather。〃
Side by side they moved on into the darkened house。 There； with the
dog curled at his feet； Link Ferris lay broad awake until sunrise。
Early the next afternoon Dorcas decided she stood in need of brisk；
outdoor exercise。 Olive came running down the path after her； eagerly
demanding to be taken along。 Dorcas with much sternness bade her go
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back。 She wanted to be alone； unlessBut she refused to admit to herself
that there was any 〃unless。〃
Olive； grievously disappointed； stood on the steps； watching her big
sister set off up the road。 She saw Dorcas take the righthand turn at the
fork。 The baby's face cleared。 Now she knew in which direction Dorcas
was going。 That fork led to the Glen。 And the Glen was a favorite Sunday
afternoon ramble for Link and Chum。 Olive knew that； because she and
Dorcas more than once had walked thither to meet them。
Olive was pleasantly forgetful of her parents' positive command that
she refrain from walking alone on the motor…infested Sunday roads。 She
set off at a fast jog trot over the nearby hill； on whose other side ran the
Glen road。
Link Ferris； with Chum at his heels； was tramping moodily toward the
Glen。 As he turned into the road he paused in his sullen walk。 There；
strolling unconcernedly； some yards in front of him； was a tall girl in white。
Her back was toward him。 Yet he would have recognized her at a hundred
times the distance。 Chum knew her； too； for he wagged his tail and started
at a faster trot to overtake her。
〃Back！〃 called Link。
Purposely he spoke as low as possible。 But the dog heard and obeyed。
The girl； too； started a little； and made as if to turn。 Just then ensued a wild
crackling in the thick roadside bushes which lined the hillside from
highway to crest。 And a white…clad little bunch of humanity came
galloping jubilantly out into the road； midway between Dorcas and Link。
At the road edge Olive's stubby toe caught in a noose of blackberry
vine。 As the youngster was running full tilt； her own impetus sent her
rolling over and over into the center of the dusty turnpike。
Before she could get to her feet or even stop rolling； a touring car
came round the bend； ten yards awaya car that was traveling at a speed
of something like forty…five miles an hour； and whose four occupants were
singing at the top of their lungs。
Link Ferris had scarce time to tense his muscles for a futile spring
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Dorcas's scream of helpless terror was still unbornwhen the car was
upon the prostrate child。
And in the same fraction of a second a furry catapult launched itself
across the wide road at a speed that made it look like tawny blur。
Chum's mad leap carried him to the baby just as the car's fender h
