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this strenuous war…trade that Bruce neither enjoyed nor
comprehended； yet which he performed at command。
So again he turned campward； Mahan at his collar and an
annoyingly hindering tail of men stumbling silently on behind
them。 All around were the Germansbutting drunkenly through the
blanket…dense fog； swinging their rifles like flails； shouting
confused orders； occasionally firing。 Now and then two or more of
them would collide and would wrestle in blind fury； thinking they
had encountered an American。
Impeded by their own sightlessly swarming numbers； as much as by
the impenetrable darkness； they sought the foe。 And but for Bruce
they must quickly have found what they sought。 Even in compact
form； the Americans could not have had the sheer luck to dodge
every scattered contingent of Huns which starred the German end
of No Man's Landmost of them between the fugitives and the
American lines。
But Bruce was on dispatch duty。 It was his work to obey commands
and to get back to camp at once。 It was bad enough to be
handicapped by Mahan's grasp on his collar。 He was not minded to
suffer further delay by running into any of the clumps of
gesticulating and cabbage…reeking Germans between him and his
goal。 So he steered clear of such groups； making several wide
detours in order to do so。 Once or twice he stopped short to let
some of the Germans grope past him； not six feet away。 Again he
veered sharply to the leftincreasing his pace and forcing Mahan
and the rest to increase theirsto avoid a squad of thirty men
who were quartering the field in close formation； and who all but
jostled the dog as they strode sightlessly by。 An occasional
rifle…shot spat forth its challenge。 From both trench…lines men
were firing at a venture。 A few of the bullets sang nastily close
to the twelve huddled men and their canine leader。 Once a German；
not three yards away； screamed aloud and fell sprawling and
kicking； as one such chance bullet found him。 Above and behind；
sounded the plop of star…shells sent up by the enemy in futile
hope of penetrating the viscid fog。 And everywhere was heard the
shuffle and stumbling of innumerable boots。
At last the noise of feet began to die away； and the uneven
groping tread of the twelve Americans to sound more distinctly
for the lessening of the surrounding turmoil。 And in another few
seconds Bruce came to a haltnot to an abrupt stop； as when he
had allowed an enemy squad to pass in front of him； but a
leisurely checking of speed； to denote that he could go no
farther with the load he was helping to haul。
Mahan put out his free hand。 It encountered the American wires。
Bruce had stopped at the spot where the party had cut a narrow
path through the entanglement on the outward journey。 Alone； the
dog could easily have passed through the gap； but he could not be
certain of pulling Mahan with him。 Wherefore the halt。
* * * * * * * * * * *
The last of the twelve men scrambled down to safety； in the
American first…line trench； Bruce among them。 The lieutenant went
straight to his commanding officer； to make his report。 Sergeant
Mahan went straight to his company cook； whom he woke from a
snoreful sleep。 Presently Mahan ran back to where the soldiers
were gathered admiringly around Bruce。
The Sergeant carried a chunk of fried beef； for which he had just
given the cook his entire remaining stock of cigarettes。
〃Here you are； Bruce！〃 he exclaimed。 〃The best in the shop is
none too good for the dog that got us safe out of that filthy
mess。 Eat hearty！〃
Bruce did not so much as sniff at the （more or less） tempting bit
of meat。 Coldly he looked up at Mahan。 Then； with sensitive ears
laid flat against his silken head； in token of strong contempt；
he turned his back on the Sergeant and walked away。
Which was Bruce's method of showing what he thought of a human
fool who would give him a command and who would then hold so
tightly to him that the dog could hardly carry out the order。
CHAPTER V The Double Cross
In the background lay a landscape that had once been beautiful。
In the middle distance rotted a village that had once been alive。
In the foreground stood an edifice that had once been a church。
The once…beautiful landscape had the look of a gigantic
pockmarked face； so scored was it by shell…scar and crater。 Its
vegetation was swept away。 Its trees were shattered stumps。 Its
farmsteads were charred piles of rubble。
The village was unlike the general landscape； in that it had
never been beautiful。 In spite of globe…trotters' sentimental
gush； not all villages of northern France were beautiful。 Many
were built for thrift and for comfort and for expediency； not for
architectural or natural loveliness。
But this village of Meran…en…Laye was not merely deprived of what
beauty it once might or might not have possessed。 Except by
courtesy it was no longer a village at all。 It was a double row
of squalid ruins； zig…zagging along the two sides of what was
left of its main street。 Here and there a cottage or tiny shop or
shed was still habitable。 The rest was debris。
The church in the foreground was recognizable as such by the
shape and size of its ragged walls； and by a half…smashed image
of the Virgin and Child which slanted out at a perilous angle
above its fa？ade。
Yet； miserable as the ruined hamlet seemed to the casual eye； it
was at present a vacation…resortand a decidedly welcome oneto
no less than three thousand tired men。 The wrecked church was an
impromptu hospital beneath whose shattered roof dozens of these
men lay helpless on makeshift cots。
For the mixed American and French regiment known as the 〃Here…We…
Comes〃 was billeted at Meran…en…Laye during a respite from the
rigors and perils of the front…line trenches。
The rest and the freedom from risks； supposed to be a part of the
〃billeting〃 system； were not wholly the portion of the 〃Here…We
Comes。〃 MeranenLaye was just then a somewhat important little
speck on the warmap。
The Germans had been up to their favorite field sport of trying
to split in half two of the Allied armies； and to roll up each；
independently。 The effort had been a failure； yet it had come so
near to success that many railway communications were cut off or
deflected。 And Meran…en…Laye had for the moment gained new
importance； by virtue of a spur railway…line which ran through
its outskirts and which made junction with a new set of tracks
the American engineers were completing。 Along this transverse of
roads much ammunition and food and many fighting men were daily
rushed。
The safety of the village had thus become of much significance。
While it was too far behind the lines to be in grave danger of
enemy raids； yet such danger existed to some extent。 〃Wherefore
the presence of the 〃Here…We…Comes〃for the paradoxical double
purpose of 〃resting up〃 and of guarding the railway F