bruce(布鲁斯)-第26节
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wolfish eagerness； which precluded playing with pets at such a time。 The
hot zest of the man…hunt was upon them。 It was gnawing in the veins of
the newest recruit；
ever； as in the heart of the usually self…contained colonel of the
regiment。
The colonel； in fact； had been so carried away by the joy of seeing his
men drive the hated graycoats before them that day that he had
overstepped the spirit of his own orders from the division commander。
In brief； he had made no effort to 〃dress〃 his command； in the advance；
upon the regiments to either side of it。 As a result； when the signal to
bivouac for the night was given； the 〃Here…We… Comes〃 were something
like a mile ahead of the regiment which should have been at their
immediate right； and nearly two miles in front of the brigade at their left。
In other words； the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 now occupied a salient of their
own； ahead of the rest of the FrancoAmerican line。 It was in rebuke for
this bit of good progress and bad tactics that the division commander had
written to the colonel； in the dispatch which Bruce had brought。
German airmen； sailing far above； and dodging as best they could the
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charges of the Allied 'planes； had just noted that the 〃Here… We…Comes〃
〃salient〃 was really no salient at all。 So far had it advanced that； for the
moment； it was out of touch with the rest of the division。 It was； indeed； in
an excellent position to be cut off and demolished by a dashing nightattack。
And a report to this effect was delivered to a fumingly distracted German
major general； who yearned for a chance to atone in some way for the
day's shameful reverses。
〃If they hadn't halted us and made us call it a day； just as we were
getting into our stride；〃 loudly grumbled one Yankee private to another as
the two clumped up to the kitchen； 〃we'd have been in Fere…en…Tardenois
by now。 What lazy guy is running this drive； anyhow？〃
〃The same lazy guy that will stick you into the hoosgow for
insubordination and leave you to do your bit there while the rest of us
stroll on to Berlin！〃 snapped Top…Sergeant Mahan； wheeling upon the
grumbler。 〃Till you learn how to obey orders without grouching； it isn't up
to you to knock wiser men。 Shut up！〃
Though Mahan's tone of reproof was professionally harsh； his spirit
was not in his words。 And the silenced private knew it。 He knew； too； that
the top…sergeant was as savage over the early halt as were the rest of the
men。
Bruce； as a rule； when he honored the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 with a visit；
spent the bulk of his time with Mahan and old Vivier。 But to…day neither of
these friends was an inspiring companion。 Nor were the rest of Bruce's
acquaintances disposed to friendliness。 Wherefore； as soon as supper was
eaten； the dog returned to his heap of bedding； for the hour or so of
laziness which Nature teaches all her children to demand； after a full
meal；and which the so…called 〃dumb〃 animals alone are intelligent
enough to take。
Dusk had merged into night when Bruce got to his feet again。 Taps had
just sounded。 The tired men gladly rolled themselves into their blankets
and fell into a dead sleep。 A sentry…relief set forth to replace the first batch
of sentinels with the second。
Mahan was of the party。 Though the topsergeant had been a stupid
comrade； thus far to…day； he was now evidently going for a walk。 And
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even though it was a duty…walk； yet the idea of it appealed to the dog after
his long inaction。
So Bruce got up and followed。 As he came alongside the stiffly
marching top…sergeant； the collie so far subverted discipline as to thrust his
nose； in friendly greeting； into Mahan's slightly cupped palm。 And the top…
sergeant so far abetted the breach of discipline as to give the collie's head a
furtive pat。 The night was dim； as the moon had not risen； so the mutual
contact of good…fellowship was not visible to the marching men on either
side of Mahan and the dog。 And discipline； therefore； did not suffer much；
after all。
At one post after another； a sentinel was relieved and a fresh man took
his place。 Farthest in front of the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 lines and nearest to
the Germanwas posted a lanky Missourian whom Bruce liked； a man
who had a way of discovering in his deep pockets stray bits of food which
he had hoarded there for the collie and delighted to dole out to him。 The
Missourian had a drawlingly soft voice the dog liked； and he used to talk
to Bruce as if the latter were another human。
For all these reasonsand because Mahan was too busy and too
grumpy to bother with himBruce elected to stay where he was； for a
while； and share the Missourian's vigil。 So； when the rest of the party
moved along to the next sentry…go； the dog remained。 The Missourian was
only too glad to have him do so。 It is tedious and stupid to pace a desolate
beat； alone； at dead of night； after a day of hard fighting。 And the man
welcomed the companionship of the dog。
For a time； as the Missourian paced his solitary stretch of broken and
shrub…grown ground； Bruce gravely paced to and fro at his side。 But
presently this aimless promenade began to wax uninteresting。 And； as the
two came to the far end of the beat； Bruce yawned and lay down。 It was
pleasanter to lie there and to watch the sentinel do the walking。
Stretched out； in a little grass…hollow； the dog followed blinkingly with
his soft brown eyes the pendulumlike progress of his friend。 And always
the dog's plumed tail would beat rhythmic welcome against the ground as
the sentry approached him。
Thus nearly an hour wore on。 A fat moon butted its lazy way through
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the smoke…mists of the eastern skyline。
Then something happenedsomething that Bruce could readily have
forestalled if the wind had been blowing from the other direction； and if a
dog's eyes were not as nearsighted as his nose is farsmelling。
The Missourian paused to run his hand caressingly over the collie's
rough mane； and moved on； down the lonely beat。 Bruce watched his
receding figure； drowsily。 At the end of ninety yards or more； the
Missourian passed by a bunch of low bushes which grew at the near side
of a stretch of hilly and shellpocked ground。 He moved past the bushes；
still watched by the somewhat bored dog。
It was then that Bruce saw a patch of bushshadow detach itself from
the rest； under the glow of the rising moon。 The shadow was humpy and
squat。 Noiseless； it glided out from among the bushes； close at the sentry's
heels； and crept after him。
Bruce pricked his ears and started to get up。 His curiosity was roused。
The direction of the wind prevented him from smelling out the nature of
the mystery。 It also kept his keen hearing from supplying any clue。 And
the distance would not permit him to see with any distinctness。
Still his curiosity was very mild。 Surely； if danger threatened； the
sentinel would realize it。 For by this time the Shadow was a bare three feet
behind him near enough； by Bruce's system of logic； for the Missourian to
have smelled and heard the pursuer。 So Bruce got up； in the most leisurely
fashion； preparatory to strolling across to investigate。 But at almost his
first step he saw something that changed his gracefully slouching walk
into a charging run。
The Shadow suddenly had merged with the sentinel。 For an instant； in
stark silence； the two seemed to cling together。 Then the Shadow fled； and
the lanky Missourian slumped to the earth in a sprawling heap； his throat
cut。
The slayer had been a deft hand at the job。 No sound had escaped the
Missourian； from the moment the stranglingly tight left arm had been
thrown around his throat from behind u
