〃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　Function。
  Still；　it　was　better　than　trench…work；　and　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃
  enjoyed　itfor　a　day　or　so。　Then　trouble　had　set　in。
  A　group　of　soldiers　were　lounging　on　the　stone　seat　in　front　of
  the　village　estaminet。　Being　off　duty；　they　were　reveling　in　that
  popular　martial　pastime　known　to　the　Tommy　as　〃grousing〃　and　to
  the　Yankee　doughboy　as　〃airing　a　grouch。〃
  Top…Sergeant　Mahan；　formerly　of　the　regular　army；　was　haranguing
  the　others。　Some　listened　approvingly；　others　dissentingly　and
  others　not　at　all。
  〃I　tell　you；〃　Mahan　declared　for　the　fourth　time；　〃somebody's
  double…crossing　us　again。　There's　a　leak。　And　if　they　don't　find
  out　where　it　is；　a　whole　lot　of　good　men　and　a　million　dollars'
  worth　of　supplies　are　liable　to　spill　out　through　that　same　leak。
  It〃
  〃But；〃　argued　his　crony；　old　Sergeant　Vivier；　in　his　hard…
  learned　English；　〃but　it　may　all　be　of　a　chance；　mon　vieux。　It
  may；　not　be　the　doubled　cross；whatever　a　doubled　cross　means；
  but　the　mere　chance。　Such　things　often〃
  〃Chance；　my　grandmother's　wall…eyed　cat！〃　snorted　Mahan。　〃Maybe
  it　might　have　been　chancewhen　this　place　hadn't　been　bombed　for
  a　monthfor　a　whole　flight　of　boche　artillery　and　airship
  grenades　to　cut　loose　against　it　the　day　General　Pershing
  happened　to　stop　here　for　an　hour　on　his　way　to　Chateau…Thierry。
  Maybe　that　was　chancethough　I　know　blamed　well　it　wasn't。　Maybe
  it　was　chance　that　the　place　wasn't　bombed　again　till　two　days
  ago；　when　that　troop…train　had　to　spend　such　a　lot　of　time
  getting　shunted　at　the　junction。　Maybe　it　was　chance　that　the
  church；　over　across　the　street；　hadn't　been　touched　since　the
  last　drive；　till　our　regiment's　wounded　were　put　in　itand　that
  it's　been　hit　three　times　since　then。　Maybe　any　one　of　those
  thingsand　of　a　dozen　others　was　chance。　But　it's　a　cinch　that
  ALL　of　them　weren't　chance。　Chance　doesn't　work　that　way。　I〃
  〃Perhaps；〃　doubtfully　assented　old　Vivier；　〃perhaps。　But　I　little
  like　to　believe　it。　For　it　means　a　spy。　And　a　spy　in　one's　midst
  is　like　to　a　snake　in　one's　blankets。　It　is　a　not　pleasing
  comrade。　And　it　stands　in　sore　need　of　killing。〃
  〃there's　spies　everywhere；〃　averred　Mahan。　〃That's　been　proved
  often　enough。　So　why　not　here？　But　I　wish　to　the　Lord　I　could　lay
  hands　on　him！　If　this　was　one　of　the　little　sheltered　villages；
  in　a　valley；　his　work　would　be　harder。　And　the　boche　airships　and
  the　long…rangers　wouldn't　find　us　such　a　simple　target。　But　up
  here　on　this　ridge；　all　a　spy　has　to　do　is　to　flash　a　signal；　any
  night；　that　a　boche　airman　can　pick　up　or　that　can　even　be　seen
  with　good　glasses　from　some　high　point　where　it　can　be　relayed　to
  the　German　lines。　The　guy　who　laid　out　this　burg　was　sure
  thoughtless。　He　might　have　known　there'd　be　a　war　some　day。　He
  might　even　have　strained　his　mind　and　guessed　that　we'd　be　stuck
  here。　Gee！〃
  He　broke　off　with　a　grunt　of　disgust；　nor　did　he　so　much　as
  listen　to　another　of　the　group　who　sought　to　lure　him　into　an
  opinion　as　to　whether　the　spy　might　be　an　inhabitant　of　the
  village　or　a　camp…follower。
  Sucking　at　his　pipe；　the　Sergeant　glowered　moodily　down　the
  ruined　street。　The　village　drowsed　under　the　hot　midday。　Here　and
  there　a　soldier　lounged　along　aimlessly　or　tried　out　his
  exercise…book　French　on　some　puzzled；　native。　Now　and　then　an
  officer　passed　in　or　out　of　the　half…unroofed　mairie　which　served
  as　regimental　headquarters。
  Beyond；　in　the　handkerchief…sized　village　square；　a　platoon　was
  drilling。　A　thin　French　housewife　was　hanging　sheets　on　a　line
  behind　a　shell…twisted　hovel。　A　Red　Cross　nurse　came　out　of　the
  hospitalchurch　across　the　street　from　the　estaminet　and　seated
  herself　on　the　stone　steps　with　a　basketful　of　sewing。
  Mahan's　half…shut　eyes　rested　critically　on　the　drilling
  platoonamusedly　on　the　woman　who　was　so　carefully　hanging　the
  ragged　sheets；and　then　approvingly　upon　the　Red　Cross　nurse　on
  the　church　steps　across　the　way。
  Mahan；　like　most　other　soldiers；　honored　and　revered　the　Red
  Cross　for　its　work　of　mercy　in　the　army。　And　the　sight　of　one　of
  the　several　local　nurses　of　the　Order　won　from　him　a　glance　of
  real　approbation。
  But　presently　into　his　weather…beaten　face　came　an　expression　of
  glad　welcome。　Out　of　the　mairie　gate　and　into　the　sleepy　warmth
  of　the　street　lounged　a　huge　dark…brown…and…white　collie。　The　don
  stretched　himself　lazily；　fore　and　aft；　in　true　collie　style；
  then　stood　gazing　about　him　as　if　in　search　of　something　of
  interest　to　occupy　his　bored　attention。
  〃Hello！〃　observed　Mahan；　breaking　in　on　a　homily　of　Vivier's。
  〃There's　Bruce！〃
  Vivier's　leathery　face　brightened　at　sound　of　the　collie's　name。
  He　looked　eagerly　in　the　direction　of　Mahan's　pointing　finger。
  〃Ce　brave！〃　exclaimed　the　Frenchman。　〃I　did　not　know　even　that　he
  was　in　the　village。　It　must　be　he　is　but　new…arriven。　Otherwise
  he　would；　of　an　assuredly；　have　hunted　up　his　old　friends。　Ohe；
  Bruce！〃　he　called　invitingly。
  〃The　big　dog　must　have　gotten　here　just　a　few　minutes　ago；〃　said
  Sergeant　Mahan。　〃He　was　coming　out　of　headquarters　when　I　saw
  him。　That　must　mean　he's　just　struck　the　town；　and　with　a　message
  for　the　K。O。　He　always　goes　like　greased　lightning　when　he's　on
  dispatch　duty；　till　he　has　delivered　his　message。　Then；　if　he's
  to　be　allowed　to　hang　around　a　while　before　he's　sent　back；　he
  loafs；　lazy…like；　the　way　you　see　him　now。　If　all　the　courier…
  dogs　were　like　him；　every　human　courier　would　be　out　of　a　job。〃
  At　Vivier's　hail　the　great　collie　had　pricked　his　ears　and
  glanced　inquiringly　up　and　down　the　street。　Catching　sight　of　the
  group　seated　in　front　of　the　estaminet；　he　began　to　wag　his　plumy
  tail　and　set　off　toward　them　at　a　trot。
  Ten　minutes　earlier；　Bruce　had　cantered　into　Meran…en…Laye　from
  the　opposite　end　of　the　street；　bearing　in　his　collar　a　dispatch
  from　the　corps　commander　to　the　colonel　of　the　〃Here…We…Comes。〃
  The　colonel；　at　the　mairie；　had　read　the　dispatch　and　had　patted
  its　bearer；　then　had　bidden　the　dog　lie　down　and　rest；　if　he
  chose；　after　his　long　run。
  Instead；　Bruce　had　preferred　to　stroll　out　in　search　of　friends。
  Top…Sergeant　Mahan；　by　the　way；　would　have　felt　highly　flattered
  had　he　chanced　to　get　a　glimpse　of　the　dispatch　Bruce　had　brought
  to　the　colonel。　For　it　bore　out　Mahan's　own　theory　regarding　the
  presence　of　spies　at　or　near　the　village；　and　it　bade　the　〃Here…
  We…Come〃　colonel　use　every　means　for　tracing　them。
  It　added　the　information　that　three　troop…trains　with　nine
  engines　were　to　pass　through　the　village　that　night　on　their　way
  to　the　trenches；　and　that　the　trains　were　due　at　the　junction　at
  nine　o'clock　or　shortly　thereafter。　The　mairie　was　on　the　other
  side　of　the　street　from　the　estaminet。　Incidentally；　it　was　on
  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