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the shady side of the streetfor which reason Bruce；being
wise； and the day being hot；remained on that side； until he
should come opposite the bench where his friends awaited him。
His course； thus； brought him directly past the church。
As he trotted by the steps； the Red Cross nurse； who sat sewing
there； chirped timidly at him。 Bruce paused in his leisurely
progress to see who had accosted him whether an old acquaintance；
to be greeted as such； or merely a pleasantly inclined stranger。
His soft brown eyes rested first in idle inquiry upon the angular
and white…robed figure on the steps。 Then； on the instant； the
friendly inquiring look left his eyes and their softness went
with itleaving the dog's gaze cold and frankly hostile。
One corner of Bruce's lips slowly lifted； revealing a tiny view
of the terrible white fangs behind them。 His gayly erect head was
lowered； and in the depths of his furry throat a growl was born。
When a dog barks and holds his head up； there is little enough to
fear from him。 But when he lowers his head and growlthen look
out。
Mahan knew dogs。 In stark amazement he now noted Bruce's strange
attitude toward the nurse。 Never before had he seen the dog show
active hostility toward a strangerleast of all toward a
stranger who had in no way molested him。 It was incredible that
the wontedly dignified and sweet…tempered collie had thus
returned a greeting。 Especially from a woman！
Mahan had often seen Red Cross nurses stop to caress Bruce。 He
had been amused at the dog's almost protective cordiality toward
all women； whether the French peasants or the wearers of the
brassard of mercy。
Toward menexcept those he had learned to look on as friends
the collie always comported himself with a courteous aloofness
But he had seemed to regard every woman as something to be
humored and guarded and to be treated with the same cordial
friendliness that he bestowed on their childrenwhich is the way
of the best type of collie。 Yet Bruce had actually snarled at
this woman who had chirped to him from the steps of the church！
And he showed every sign of following up the challenge by still
more drastic measures。
〃Bruce！〃 called Mahan sharply。 〃BRUCE！ Shame！ Come over here！
Come； NOW！〃
At the Sergeant's vehement summons Bruce turned reluctantly away
from the foot of the church steps and came across the street
toward the estaminet。 He came slowly。 Midway he halted and looked
back over his shoulder at the nurse； his fangs glinting once more
in a snarl。 At a second and more emphatic call from Mahan the dog
continued his progress。
The nurse had started back in alarm at the collie's angry
demonstration。 Now； gathering up her work； she retreated into the
church。
〃I'm sorry； Miss！〃 Mahan shouted after her。 〃I never saw him that
way； before； when a lady spoke to him。 If it was any dog but old
Bruce； I'd give him a whaling for acting like that to you。 I'm
dead…sure he didn't mean any harm。〃
〃Oh； I was going in； anyway；〃 replied the nurse； from the
doorway。 〃It is of no consequence。〃
She spoke nervously； her rich contralto voice shaken by the dog's
fierce show of enmity。 Then she vanished into the church； and
Mahan and Vivier took turns in lecturing Bruce on his shameful
dearth of courtesy。
The big dog paid no heed at all to his friends' discourse。 He was
staring sullenly at the doorway through which the nurse had gone。
〃That's one swell way for a decently bred dog to treat a woman！〃
Mahan was telling him。 〃Least of all； a Red Cross nurse！ I'm
clean ashamed of you！〃
Bruce did not listen。 In his heart he was still angryand very
much perplexed as well。 For he knew what these stupid humans did
not seem to know。
HE KNEW THE RED CROSS NURSE WAS NO WOMAN AT ALL； BUT A MAN。
Bruce knew； too； that the nurse did not belong to his loved
friends of the Red Cross。 For his uncanny power of scent told him
the garments worn by the impostor belonged to some one else。 To
mere humans； a small and slender man； who can act； and who dons
woman's garb； is a woman。 To any dog； such a man is no more like
a woman than a horse with a lambskin saddle…pad is a lamb。 He is
merely a man who is differently dressed from other meneven as
this man who had chirped to Bruce； from the church steps； was no
less a man for the costume in which he had swathed his body。 Any
dog； at a glance and at a sniff； would have known that。
Women； for one thing； do not usually smoke dozens of rank cigars
daily for years； until their flesh is permeated with the smell of
tobacco。 A human could not have detected such a smellsuch a
MAN…smell；on the person who had chirped to Bruce。 Any dog；
twenty feet away； would have noticed it； and would have tabulated
the white…clad masquerader as a man。 Nor do a woman's hair and
skin carry the faint but unmistakable odor of barracks and of
tent…life and of martial equipment； as did this man's。 The
masquerader was evidently not only a man but a soldier。
Dogs；high…strung dogs；do not like to have tricks played on
them； least of all by strangers。 Bruce seemed to take the
nurse…disguise as a personal affront to himself。 Then； too； the
man was not of his own army。 On the contrary； the scent
proclaimed him one of the horde whom Bruce's friends so
manifestly hatedone of the breed that had more than once fired
on the dog。
Diet and equipment and other causes give a German soldier a
markedly different scent； to dogs' miraculously keen nostrils；
and to those of certain humans；from the French or British or
American troops。 War records prove this。 Once having learned the
scent； and having learned to detest it； Bruce was not to be
deceived。
For all these reasons he had snarled loathingly at the man in
white。 For these same reasons he could not readily forget the
incident； but continued every now and then to glance curiously
across toward the church。
Presently；not relishing the rebukes of the friends who had
heretofore pestered him by overmuch petting；the collie arose
quietly from his couch of trampled earth at the foot of the stone
bench and strolled back across the street。 Most of the men were
too busy； talking； to note Bruce's departure。 But Sergeant Mahan
caught sight of him just as the dog was mounting the last of the
steps leading into the church。
As a rule； when Bruce went investigating； he walked carelessly
and with his tail slightly a…wag。 Now his tail was stiff as an
icicle； and he moved warily； on the tips of his toes。 His tawny…
maned neck was low。 Mahan； understanding dogs； did not like the
collie's demeanor。 Remembering that the nurse had entered the
church a few minutes earlier； the Sergeant got to his feet and
hastily followed Bruce。
The dog； meanwhile； had passed through the crazily splintered
doorway and had paused on the threshold of the improvised
hospital； as the reek of iodoform and of carbolic smote upon his