太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > his dog(狗儿莱德) >

第20节

his dog(狗儿莱德)-第20节

小说: his dog(狗儿莱德) 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




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 hung 

above her。 A slashing grip of his teeth in the shoulder of her white dress 

and a lightning heave of his mighty neck and shouldersand the little form 

was hurtling through the air and into the weed…filled wayside ditch。 

     In practically the same instant Chum's body whizzed into the air again。 

But this time by no impetus of its own。 The high…powered car's fender had 

struck it fair; and had tossed it into the ditch as though the dog had been a 

heap of rags。 

     Therehuddled and lifelesssprawled the beautiful collie。 The car put 

on an extra spurt of speed and disappeared round the next turn。 

     Olive   was   on   her   feet   before   Dorcas's   flying   steps   could   reach   her。 

Unhurt but vastly indignant; the baby opened her mouth to make way for a 

series   of   howls。   Then;   her   eye   falling   on   the   inert   dog;   she   ran   over   to 

Chum and began to cry out to him to come to life again。 

     〃No   use  of   that;   kid!〃   interposed   Link;  kneeling   beside  the   collie   he 

loved and smoothing the soiled and rumpled fur。 〃It's easier to drop out of 

life  than   what   it   is   to   come   back to it   again。 Well;〃 he   went   on   harshly; 

turning to the weeping Dorcas; 〃the question has answered itself; you see。 

No need now to tell me to get rid of him。 He's saved me the bother。 Like 

he was always saving me bother。 That being Chum's way。〃 

     Something in his throat impeded his              fierce speech。 And he bent over 

the   dog   again;   his   rough   hands   smoothing   the   pitifully   still   body   with 

loving tenderness。 Dorcas; weeping hysterically; fell on her knees beside 

Chum and put her arms about the huddled shape。 She seemed to be trying 

to say something; her lips close to one of the furry little ears。 

     〃No use!〃 broke in Ferris; his voice as grating as a file's。 〃He can't hear 

you now。  No   good   to   tell   him  you hate   dogs; or that   you're glad   you've 

saw   the   last   of   him。   Even   if   he   was   alive;   he   wouldn't   understand   that。 



                                                72 


… Page 73…

                                            HIS DOG 



He'd never been spoke to that way。〃 

     〃Don't! Oh; don't!〃 sobbed the girl。 〃Oh; I'm so〃 

     〃If   you're   crying   for   Chum;〃   went   on   the   grating   voice;   〃there's   no 

need to。 He was only just a dog。 He didn't know any better but to get his 

life smashed out'n him; so somebody else could go on living。 All he asked 

was   to   be   with   me   and   work   for   me   and   love   me。   After   you   said   he 

couldn't keep on doing that; there ain't any good in your crying for him。 It 

must be niceif you'll only stop crying long enough to think of itto know 

he's out of your way。 And I'M out of it too!〃 he went on in a gust of fury。 

〃S'pose you two just toddle on; now; and leave me to take him home。 I got 

the right to that; anyhow。〃 

     He stooped to pick up the dog; and he winked with much rapidity to 

hold   back   an   annoying   mist   which   came   between   him   and   Chum。   His 

mouth corners; too; were twitching in a way that shamed him。 He had a 

babyish yearning to bury his face in his dead friend's fur; and cry。 

     〃DON'T!〃   Dorcas   was   wailing。  〃Oh;  you   can't punish   me   any  worse 

than I'm〃 

     Her sob…broken voice scaled high and swelled out into a cry of stark 

astonishment。   Slowly   Chum   was   lifting   his   splendid   head   and   blinking 

stupidly about him! 

     The fender had smitten the collie just below the shoulder; in a mass of 

fur…armored muscles。 In falling into the wayside ditch his skull had come 

into sharp contact with a rock。 Knocked senseless by the concussion; he 

had   lain   as   dead;   for   the   best   part   of   five   minutes。 After   which   he   had 

come slowly to his sensesbewildered; bruised and sore; but otherwise no 

worse for the accident。 

     He    came     to   himself    to   find   a  weeping      woman      clutching     him 

stranglingly round the neck; while she tried to kiss his dust…smeared head。 

     Chum      did   not   care   at   all  for  this   treatment;    especially     from    a 

comparative stranger。 But he saw his adored master looking so idiotically 

happyover that or something elsethat the dog forbore to protest。 

     〃If   you   really  wanted   him  put   out of   the   way  so   bad〃 began   Link; 



                                                73 


… Page 74…

                                     HIS DOG 



when he could trust himself to speak。 

    He    got  no  further。  Dorcas   Chatham    turned   on  him   in  genuine 

savageness。 The big eyes were no longer grave and patronizing。 The air of 

aloofness had fallen from the girl like a discarded garment。 

    〃Link!〃 she blazed。 〃Link Ferris! If you ever dare speak about getting 

rid ofof MY dog;I'llI'll never speak to you again; as long asas long 

as we're married!〃 

    THE END 



                                        74 


返回目录 上一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的