bruce(布鲁斯)-第27节
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thrown around his throat from behind until； a second later； he fell bleeding
and lifeless。
In twenty leaping strides； Bruce came up to the slain sentinel and bent
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over him。 Dog…instinct told the collie his friend had been done to death。
And the dog's power of scent told him it was a German who had done the
killing。
For many months； Bruce had been familiar with the scent of German
soldiers； so different from that of the army in which he toiled。 And he had
learned to hate it； even as a dog hates the vague 〃crushed cucumber〃 smell
of a pitviper。 But while every dog dreads the viper…smell as much as he
loathes it； Bruce had no fear at all of the boche odor。 Instead； it always
awoke in him a blood…lust； as fierce as any that had burned in his wolf…
ancestors。
This same fury swept him now； as he stood； quivering； above the body
of the kindly man who so lately had petted him； this and a craving to
revenge the murder of his human friend。
For the briefest time； Bruce stood there； his dark eyes abrim with
unhappiness and bewilderment； as he gazed down on the huddled form in
the wet grass。 Then an electric change came over him。 The softness fled
from his eyes； leaving them bloodshot and blazing。 His great tawny ruff
bristled like an angry cat's。 The lazy gracefulness departed from his
mighty body。 It became tense and terrible。 In the growing moonlight his
teeth gleamed whitely from under his upcurled lip。
In a flash he turned and set off at a loping run； nose close to ground；
his long stride deceptively swift。 The zest of the man… hunt had obsessed
him； as completely as； that day； it had spurred the advance of the 〃Here…
We…Comes。〃
The trail of the slayer was fresh； even over such broken ground。 Fast
as the German had fled； Bruce was flying faster。 Despite the murderer's
long start； the dog speedily cut down the distance between his quarry and
himself。 Not trusting to sight； but solely to his unerring sense of smell。
Bruce sped on。
Then； in a moment or two； his hearing re…enforced his scent。 He could
catch the pad…pad…pad of running feet。 And the increasing of the sound
told him he was gaining fast。
But in another bound his ears told him something elsesomething he
would have heard much sooner； had not the night wind been setting so
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strongly in the other direction。 He heard not only the pounding of his
prey's heavy…shod feet； but the soft thud of hundredsperhaps thousands
of other army shoes。 And now； despite the adverse wind； the odor of
innumerable soldiers came to his fiercely sniffing nostrils。 Not only was it
the scent of soldiers； but of German soldiers。
For the first time； Bruce lifted his head from the ground； as he ran； and
peered in front of him。 The moon had risen above the low…lying horizon
vapors into a clear sky； and the reach of country was sharply visible。
Bruce saw the man he was chasing；saw him plainly。 The German
was still running； but not at all as one who flees from peril。 He ran； rather；
as might the bearer of glad tidings。 And he was even now drawing up to a
group of men who awaited eagerly his coming。 There must have been fifty
men in the group。 Behind themin open formation and as far as the dog's
near…sighted eyes could see were more men； and more； and more
thousands of them； all moving stealthily forward。
Now； a collie （in brain； though never in heart） is much more wolf than
dog。 A bullterrier； or an Airedale； would have charged on at his foe； and
would have let himself be hacked to pieces before loosing his hold on the
man。
Buteven as a wolf checks his pursuit of a galloping sheep when the
latter dashes into the guarded foldBruce came to an abrupt halt； at sight
of these reenforcements。 He stood irresolute； still mad with vengeful anger；
but not foolish enough to assail a whole brigade of armed men。
It is quite impossible （though Mahan and Vivier used to swear it must
be true） that Bruce had the reasoning powers to figure out the whole
situation which confronted him。 He could not have known that a German
brigade had been sent to take advantage of the 〃Here…We…Comes〃
temporarily isolated positionthat three sentries had been killed in silence
and that their deaths had left a wide gap through which the brigade hoped
to creep unobserved until they should be within striking distance of their
unsuspectingly slumbering victims。
Bruce could not have known this。 He could not have grasped the
slightest fraction of the idea； being only a real…life dog and not a fairytale
animal。 But what he could and did realize was that a mass of detested
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Germans was moving toward him； and that he could not hope to attack
them； single…handed； also； that he was not minded to slink peacefully
away and leave his friend unavenged。
Thwarted rage dragged from his furry throat a deep growl； a growl that
resounded eerily through that silent place of stealthy moves。 And he
stepped majestically forth from the surrounding long grass； into the full
glare of moonlight。
The deceptive glow made him loom gigantic and black； and tinged his
snowy chest with the phosphorous gleam of a snowfield。 His eyes shone
like a wild beast's。
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Corporal Rudolph Freund； of the Konigin Luise Regiment； had just
finished his three…word report to his superior。 He had merely saluted and
announced
〃He is dead！〃
Corporal Freund did not thrill； as usual； to the colonel's grunt of
approval。 The Corporal was worried。 He was a Black Forest peasant； and；
while iron military life had dulled his native superstitions； it had not
dispelled them。
The night was mystic； in its odd blend of moon and shadows。 However
hardened one may be； it is a nerve…strain to creep through long grass； like
a red Indian； to the murder of a hostile sentinel。 And every German in the
〃Pocket〃 had been under frightful mental and physical stress； for the past
week。
Corporal Rudolph Freund was a brave man and a brute。 But that week
had sapped his nerve。 And the work of this night had been the climax。 The
desolate ground； over which he had crawled to the killing； had suddenly
seemed peopled with evil gnomes and goblins； whose existence no true
Black Forest peasant can doubt。 And； on the run back； he had been certain
he heard some unseen monster tearing through the underbrush in hot
pursuit of him。 So certain had he been； that he had redoubled his speed。
There were no wolves or other large wild animals in that region。 When
he had wriggled toward the slow…pacing American sentinel； he had seen
and heard no creature of any sort。 Yet he was sure that on the way back he
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had been pursued byby Something！ And into his scared memory； as he
ran； had flashed the ofttold Black Forest tale of the Werewolfthe devil
beast that is entered by the soul of a murdered man and which tracks the
murderer to his death。
Glad was the unnerved Corporal Freund when his run ceased and he
stood close to his grossly solid and rank…scented fellowmen once more。
Almost he was inclined to laugh at his fears of the fabled Werewolfand
especially at the idea that he had been pursued。 He drew a long breath of
relief。 He drew the breath in。 But he did not at once expel it。 For on his
ears came the sound of a hideous menacing growl。
Corporal Freund spun about； in the direction of the mysterious threat。
And there； not thirty feet from him； in the ghostly moonlight； stood the
Werewolf！
This time there could be no question of overstrained nerves and of
imagination。 The Thing was THERE！
Horribly visible in every detail； the Werewolf was glaring at him。 He
could see the red glow of the gigantic devil…beast's eyes； th
