further adventures of lad-第36部分

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uit。

Dugan　had　called　at　the　Place；　a　week　earlier。　He　had　taken　interested　note　of　the　little　garage's　two　cars　and　of　the　unlocked　garage　doors。　He　had　taken　less　approving　note　of　the　three　guardian　collies：　Lad；　still　magnificent　and　formidable；　in　spite　of　his　weight　of　years；Bruce；　gloriously　beautiful　and　stately　and　aloof；young　Wolf；　with　the　fire　and　fierce　agility　of　a　tiger…cat。　All　three　had　watched　him；　grimly。　None　had　offered　the　slightest　move　to　make　friends　with　the　smooth…spoken　visitor。　Dogs　have　a　queerly　occult　sixth　sense；　sometimes；　in　regard　to　those　who　mean　ill　to　their　masters。

This　morning；　idling　along　the　highroad；　a　furlong　from　the　Place's　stone　gateway；　Dugan　had　seen　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　drive　past　in　the　smaller　of　the　two　cars。　He　had　seen　Lad　with　them。　A　little　later；　he　had　seen　the　men　cross　the　road　toward　the　upper　field。　Then；　almost　on　the　men's　heels；　he　had　seen　Bruce　and　Wolf　canter　across　the　same　road；　headed　for　the　forest。　And　Dugan's　correctly　stolid　face　rippled　into　a　pleased　smile。

Quickening　his　pace；　he　hurried　on　to　the　gateway　and　down　the　drive。　But；　as　he　passed　the　house　on　his　way　to　the　garage　where　stood　the　other　and　larger　car；　he　paused。　Out　of　an　ever…vigilant　eye…corner；　he　saw　an　automobile　turn　in　at　the　gateway；　two　hundred　yards　up　the　wooded　slope；　and　start　down　the　drive。

The　Mistress　and　the　Master　were　returning　from　the　post　office。

Dugan's　smile　vanished。　He　stopped　in　his　tracks；　and　did　some　fast　thinking。　Then；　mounting　the　veranda　steps；　he　knocked　boldly　at　a　side　door；　the　door　nearest　to　him。　As　the　maids　were　in　the　kitchen　or　making　up　the　bedrooms；　his　knock　was　unheard。　Half　hidden　by　the　veranda　vines；　he　waited。

The　car　came　down　the　driveway　and　circled　the　house　to　the　side　farthest　from　Dugan。　There；　at　the　front　door；　it　halted。　The　Mistress　and　Lad　got　out。　The　Master　did　not　go　down　to　the　garage。　Instead；　he　circled　the　house　again；　and　chugged　off　up　the　drive；　bound　for　the　station　to　meet　a　guest　whose　train　was　due　in　another　ten　minutes。　Dugan　drew　a　long　breath；　and　swaggered　toward　the　garage。　His　walk　and　manner　had　in　them　an　easy　openness　that　no　honest　man's　could　possibly　have　acquired　in　a　lifetime。

The　Mistress；　deposited　at　the　front　veranda；　chirped　to　Lad；　and　started　across　the　lawn　toward　the　chrysanthemum　bed；　a　hundred　feet　away。

The　summer's　flowers　were　goneeven　to　the　latest　thin　stemmed　Teplitz　rose　and　the　last　stalk　of　rose…tinted　cosmos。　For　dining　table；　now；　and　for　living…room　and　guest　rooms；　nothing　was　left　but　the　mauve　and　bronze　hardy　chrysanthemums　which　made　gay　the　flower　border　at　the　crest　of　the　lawn　overlooking　the　lake。　Thither　fared　the　Mistress；　in　search　of　blossoms。

Between　her　and　the　chrysanthemum　border　was　a　bed　of　canvas。　Frost　had　smitten　the　tall；　dark　stems；　leaving　only　a　copse　of　brown　stalks。　Out　of　this　copse；　chewing　greedily　at　an　uprooted　bunch　of　canna…bulbs；　slouched　Romaine's　wandering　sow。　At；　sight　of　the　Mistress；　she　paused　in　her　leisurely　progress　and；　with　the　bunch　of　bulbs　still　hanging　from　one　corner　of　her　shark…mouth；　stood　blinking　truculently　at　the　astonished　woman。

Now；　Lad　had　not　obeyed　the　Mistress's　soft　chirp。　It　had　not　reached　his　dulling　ears；the　ears　which；　of　old；　had　caught　her　faintest　whisper。　Yet；　he　would　have　followed　her；　as　ever；　without　such　summons；　had　not　his　nostrils　suddenly　become　aware　of　an　alien　scent。

Lad's　sense　of　smell；　like　his　hearing；　was　far　less　keen　than　once　it　had　been。　But；　it　was　still　strong　enough　to　register　the　trace　of　intruders。　His　hackles　bristled。　Up　went　the　classically　splendid　head；　to　sniff　the　light　breeze；　for　further　information　as　to　the　reek　of　pig　and　the　lighter　but　more　disquieting　scent　of　man。

Turning　his　head；　to　reinforce　with　his　near…sighted　eyes　the　failing　evidence　of　his　nostrils；　he　saw　the　sow　emerge　from　the　canna…clump。　He　saw；　tooor　he　divinedthe　look　in　her　pale　little　red…rimmed　eyes；　as　they　glared　defiantly　at　the　Mistress。　And　Lad　cleared　the　porch　steps　at　one　long　leap。

For　the　instant；　he　forgot　he　was　aged　and　stout　and　that　his　joints　ached　at　any　sudden　motion；　and　that　his　wind　and　his　heart　were　not　what　they　had　been；and　that　his　once…terrible　fangs　were　yellowed　and　blunt；　and　that　his　primal　vulnerable　spot；　（as　Lad　knew）　in　her　bristling　pigskin　armor。

Lad　got　his　grip。　And；　with　all　his　fragile　old　strength；　he　hung　on；　grinding　the　outworn　fangs　further　and　further　into　the　sensitive　nose　of　his　squealing　foe。

This　stopped　the　sow's　impetuous　charge；　for　good　and　all。　With　a　heavy　collie　hanging　to　one's　tortured　nose　and　that　collie's　teeth　sunk　deep　into　it；　there　is　no　scope　for　thinking　of　any　other　opponent。　She　halted；　striking　furiously；　with　her　sharp　cloven　fore…hoofs；　at　the　writhing　dog　beneath　her。

One　ferociously　driving　hoof　cut　a　gash　in　Lad's　chest。　Another　tore　the　skin　from　his　shoulder。　Unheeding；　he　hung　on。　The　sow　braced　herself；　solid；　on　outspread　legs；　and　shook　her　head　and　forequarters　with　all　her　muscular　might。

Lad　was　hurled　free；　his　weakened　jaws　failing　to　withstand　such　a　yank。　Over　and　over　he　rolled；　to　one　side；　the　sow　charging　after　him。　She　had　lost　all　interest　in　attacking　the　Mistress。　Her　flaming　little　brain　now　held　no　thought　except　to　kill　and　mangle　the　dog　that　had　hurt　her　snout　so　cruelly。　And　she　rushed　at　him；　the　tushes　glinting　from　under　her　upcurled　and　bleeding　lips。

But；　the　collie；　for　all　his　years　and　unwieldiness；　was　still　a　collie。　And；　by　the　time　he　stopped　rolling；　he　was　scrambling　to　his　feet。　Shrinking　quickly　to　one　side；　as　the　sow　bore　down　upon　him；　he　eluded　her　rush；　by　the　fraction　of　an　inch；　and　made　a　wolflike　slash　for　her　underbody；　as　she　hurtled　by。

The　blunted　eyetooth　made　but　a　superficial　furrow；　which　served　only　to　madden　its　victim　still　further。　Wheeling；　she　returned　to　the　attack。　Again；　with　a　ghost　of　his　old　elusive　speed；　Laddie　avoided　her　rush；　by　the　narrowest　of　margins；　and；　snapping　furiously；　caught　her　by　the　ear。

Now；　more　than　once；　in　other　frays；　Lad　had　subdued　and　scared　trespassing　pigs　by　this　hold。　But；　in　those　days；　his　teeth　had　been　keen　and　his　jaw　strong　enough　to　crack　a　beef　bone。　Moreover；　the　pigs　on　which　he　had　used　it　to　such　effect　were　not　drunk　with　the　lust　of　killing。

The　sow　squealed；　afresh；　with　pain；　and　once　more　braced　herself　and　shook　her　head　with　all　her　might：　Again；　Lad　was　flung　aside　by　that　shake；　this　time　with　a　fragment　of　torn　ear　between　his　teeth。

As　she　drove　slaveringly　at　him　once　more；　Lad　swerved　and　darted　in；　diving　for　her　forelegs。　With　the　collie；　as　with　his　ancestor；　the　wolf；　this　dive　for　the　leg　of　an　enemy　is　a　favorite　and　tremendously　effective　trick　in　battle。　　Lad　found　his　hold；　just　above　the　right　pastern。　And　he　exerted　every　atom　of　his　power　to　break　the　bone　or　to　sever　the　tendon。

In　all　the　Bible's　myriad　tragic　lines　there　is　perhaps　none　other　so　infinitely　sad；less　for　its　actual　significance　than　for　what　it　implies　to　every　man　or　woman　or　animal；　soon　or　late；than　that　which　describes　the　shorn　Samson　going　forth　in　jaunty　confidence　to　meet　the　Philistines　he　so　often　and　so　easily　had　conquered：

〃He　wist　not　that　the　Lord　was　departed　from　him！〃

To　all　of　us；　to　whom　the　doubtful　blessing　of　old　age　is　granted；　must　come　the　black　time　when　we　shall　essay　a　task　which　once　we　could　accomplish　with　ease；only　to　find　its　achievement　has　passed　forever　beyond　our　waning　powers。　And　so；　this　day；　was　it　with　Sunnybank　Lad。

Of　yore；　such　a　grip　as　he　now　secured　would　have　ham　strung　or　otherwise　maimed　its　victim　and　left　her　wallowing　helpless。　But　the　dull　teeth　merely　barked　the　leg's　tough　skin。　And　a　spasmodic　jerk　ripped　it　loose　from　the　dog's　hold。

Lad　barely　had　time　to　spring　aside；　to　dodge　the　wheeling　sow。　He　was　panting　heavily。　His　wounds　were　hurting　and　weakening　him。　His　wind　was　gone。　His　heart　was　doing　queer　things　which　made　him　sick　and　dizzy。　His　strength　was　turning　to　water。　His　courage　alone　blazed　high　and　undimmed。

Not　once　did　it　occur　to　him　to　seek　safety　in　flight。　He　must　have　known　the　probable　outcome。　For　Lad　knew　much。　But　the　great　heart　did　not　flinch　at　the　prospect。　Feebly；　yet　dauntlessly；　he　came　back　to　the　hopeless　battle。　The　Mistress　was　in　danger。　And　he　alone　could　help。

No　longer　able　to　avoid　the　rushes；　he　met　some　of　them　with　pathetically　useless　jaws；　going　down　under　others　and　rising　with　ever　greater　slowness　and　difficulty。　The　sow's　ravening　teeth　found　a　goal；　more　than　once；　in　the　burnished　mahogany　coat　which　the　Mistress　brushed　every　day　with　such　loving　care。　The　pronged　hoofs　had　twice　more　cut　him　as　he　strove　to　roll　aside　from　their　onslaught　after　one　of　his　heavy　tumbles。

The　end　of　the　fight　seemed　very　near。　Yet　Lad　fought　on。　To　the　attack；　after　each　upset　or　wound；　he　crawled　with　deathless　courage。

The　Mistress；　at　Lad's　first　charge；　had　stepped　back。　But；　at　once　she　had　caught　up　again　the　stick　and　belabored　the　sow　with　all　her　frail　muscular　might。　She　might　as　well　have　been　beating　the　side　of　a　concrete　wall。　Heedless　of　the　flailing；　the　sow　ignored　her；　and　continued　her　maddened　assault　on　Lad。　The　maids；　attracted　by　the　noise；　crowded　the　front　doorway；　clinging　together　and　jabbering。　To　them　the　Mistress　called　now　for　the　Master's　shotgun；　from　the　study　wall；　and　for　a　handful　of　shells。

She　kept　her　head；　though　she　saw　she　was　powerless　to　save　the　dog　she　loved。　And　her　soul　was　sick　within　her　at　his　peril　which　her　puny　efforts　could　not　avert。

Running　across　the　lawn；　toward　the　house；　she　met　half　way　the　maid　who　came　trembling　forth　with　the　gun　and　two　shells。　Without　stopping　to　glance　at　the　cartridges；nor　to　realize　that　they　were　filled　with　Number　Eight　shot；　for　quails；she　thrust　two　of　them　into　the　breech　and；　turning；　fired　pointblank　at　the　sow。

Lad　was　down　again；　and　the　sow；no　longer　in　a　squealing　rush；　but　with　a　new　cold　deadliness；was　gauging　the　distance　to　his　exposed　throat。　The　first　shot　peppered　her　shoulder；　the　tiny　pellets　scarce　scratching