dk.watchers-第2部分

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　Standing　in　the　forest's　shadow；　it　continued　to　stare　down　the　deer　trail；　into　the　blackness　at　the　bottom　of　the　wooded　canyon　slope。　Its　tail　was　down；　almost　tucked　between　its　legs。
　Travis　gathered　half　a　dozen　small　stones　from　the　ground　around　him；　got　up；　and　threw　one　of　the　missiles　at　the　retriever。　Struck　on　the　backside　hard　enough　to　be　stung；　the　dog　did　not　yelp　but　whipped　around　in　surprise。
　Now　I've　done　it；　Travis　thought。　He'll　go　for　my　throat。
　But　the　dog　only　looked　at　him　accusingly…and　continued　to　block　the　entrance　to　the　deer　trail。
　Something　in　the　tattered　beast's　demeanor…in　the　wide…set　dark　eyes　or　in　the　tilt　of　its　big　squarish　head…made　Travis　feel　guilty　for　having　stoned　it。　The　sorry　damn　dog　looked　disappointed　in　him；　and　he　was　ashamed。
　〃Hey；　listen；〃　he　said；　〃you　started　it；　you　know。〃
　The　dog　just　stared　at　him。
　Travis　dropped　the　other　stones。
　The　dog　glanced　at　the　relinquished　missiles；　then　raised　its　eyes　once　more；　and　Travis　swore　he　saw　approval　in　that　canine　face。
　Travis　could　have　turned　back。　Or　he　could　have　found　another　way　down　the　canyon。　But　he　was　seized　by　an　irrational　determination　to　forge　ahead；　to　go　where　he　wanted　to　go；　by　God。　This　day　of　all　days；　he　was　not　going　to　be　deterred　or　even　delayed　by　something　as　trivial　as　an　obstructive　dog。
　He　got　up；　shrugged　his　shoulders　to　resettle　the　backpack；　took　a　deep　breath　of　the　piny　air；　and　walked　boldly　across　the　clearing。
　The　retriever　began　to　growl　again；　softly　but　menacingly。　Its　lips　skinned　back　from　its　teeth。
　Step　by　step；　Travis's　courage　faded；　and　when　he　was　within　a　few　feet　of　the　dog；　he　opted　for　a　different　approach。　He　stopped　and　shook　his　head　and　gently　berated　the　animal：　〃Bad　dog。　You're　being　a　very　bad　dog。　You　know　that？　What's　gotten　into　you？　Hmmmm？　You　don't　look　as　if　you　were　born　bad。　You　look　like　a　good　dog。〃
　As　he　continued　to　sweet…talk　the　retriever；　it　ceased　growling。　Its　bushy　tail　wagged　once；　twice；　tentatively。
　〃That's　a　good　boy；〃　he　said　slyly；　coaxingly。　〃That's　better。　You　and　I　can　be　friends；　huh？〃
　The　dog　issued　a　conciliatory　whine；　that　familiar　and　appealing　sound　all　dogs　make　to　express　their　natural　desire　to　be　loved。
　〃Now；　we're　getting　somewhere；〃　Travis　said；　taking　another　step　toward　the　retriever　with　the　intention　of　stooping　and　petting　it。
　Immediately；　the　dog　leaped　at　him；　snarling；　and　drove　him　back　across　the　clearing。　It　got　its　teeth　in　one　leg　of　his　jeans；　shook　its　head　furiously。　He　kicked　at　it；　missed。　As　Travis　staggered　out　of　balance　from　the　misplaced　kick；　the　dog　snatched　the　other　leg　of　his　pants　and　ran　a　circle　around　him；　pulling　him　with　it。　He　hopped　desperately　to　keep　up　with　his　adversary　but　toppled　and　slammed　to　the　ground　again。
　〃Shit！〃　he　said；　feeling　immeasurably　foolish。
　Whining　again；　having　reverted　to　a　friendly　mood；　the　dog　licked　one　of　his　hands。
　〃You're　schizophrenic；〃　Travis　said。
　The　dog　returned　to　the　other　end　of　the　clearing。　It　stood　with　its　back　to　him；　staring　down　the　deer　trail　that　descended　through　the　cool　shadows　of　the　trees。　Abruptly；　it　lowered　its　head；　hunched　its　shoulders。　The　muscles　in　its　back　and　haunches　visibly　tensed　as　if　it　were　preparing　to　move　fast。
　〃What're　you　looking　at？〃　Travis　was　suddenly　aware　that　the　dog　was　not　fascinated　by　the　trail　itself　but；　perhaps；　by　something　on　the　trail。　〃Mountain　lion？〃　he　wondered　aloud　as　he　got　to　his　feet。　In　his　youth；　mountain　lions…specifically；　cougars…had　prowled　these　woods；　and　he　supposed　some　still　hung　on。
　The　retriever　grumbled；　not　at　Travis　this　time　but　at　whatever　had　drawn　its　attention。　The　sound　was　low；；　barely　audible；　and　to　Travis　it　seemed　as　if　the　dog　was　both　angry　and　afraid。
　Coyotes？　Plenty　of　them　roamed　the　foothills。　A　pack　of　hungry　coyotes　might　alarm　even　a　sturdy　animal　like　this　golden　retriever。
　With　a　startled　yelp；　the　dog　executed　a　leaping…scrambling　turn　away　from　the　shadowed　deer　trail。　It　dashed　toward　him；　past　him；　to　the　other　arm　of　the　woods；　and　he　thought　it　was　going　to　disappear　into　the　forest。　But　at　the　archway　formed　by　two　sycamores；　through　which　Travis　had　e　Only　minutes　ago；　the　dog　stopped　and　looked　back　expectantly。　With　an　air　of　frustration　and　anxiety；　it　hurried　in　his　direction　again；　swiftly　circled　him；　grabbed　at　his　pants　leg；　and　wriggled　backward；　trying　to　drag　him　with　it。
　〃Wait；　wait；　okay；〃　he　said。　〃Okay。〃
　The　retriever　let　go。　It　issued　one　woof；　more　a　forceful　exhalation　than　a　bark。
　Obviously…and　astonishingly…the　dog　had　purposefully　prevented　him　from　proceeding　along　the　gloomy　stretch　of　the　deer　trail　because　something　was　down　there。　Something　dangerous。　Now　the　dog　wanted　him　to　flee　because　that　dangerous　creature　was　drawing　nearer。
　Something　was　ing。　But　what？
　Travis　was　not　worried；　just　curious。　Whatever　was　approaching　might　frighten　a　dog；　but　nothing　in　these　woods；　not　even　a　coyote　or　a　cougar；　would　attack　a　grown　man。
　Whining　impatiently；　the　retriever　tried　to　grab　one　leg　of　Travis's　jeans　again。
　Its　behavior　was　extraordinary。　If　it　was　frightened；　why　didn't　it　run　off；　forget　him？　He　was　not　its　master；　it　owed　him　nothing；　neither　affection　nor　protection。　Stray　dogs　do　not　possess　a　sense　of　duty　to　strangers；　do　not　have　a　moral　perspective；　a　conscience。　What　did　this　animal　think　it　was；　anyway…a　freelance　Lassie？
　〃All　right；　all　right；〃　Travis　said；　shaking　the　retriever　loose　and　acpanying　it　to　the　sycamore　arch。
　The　dog　dashed　ahead；　along　the　ascending　trail；　which　led　up　toward　the　canyon　rim；　through　thinning　trees　and　brighter　light。
　Travis　paused　at　the　sycamores。　Frowning；　he　looked　across　the　sun…drenched　clearing　at　the　night…dark　hole　in　the　forest　where　the　descending　portion　of　the　trail　began。　What　was　ing？
　The　shrill　cries　of　the　cicadas　cut　off　simultaneously；　as　if　a　phonograph　needle　was　lifted　from　a　recording。　The　woods　were　preternaturally　silent。
　Then　Travis　heard　something　rushing　up　the　lightless　trail。　A　scrabbling　noise。　A　clatter　as　of　dislodged　stones。　A　faint　rustle　of　dry　brush。　The　thing　sounded　closer　than　it　probably　was；　for　sound　was　amplified　as　it　echoed　up　through　the　narrow　tunnel　of　trees。　Nevertheless；　the　creature　was　ing　fast。　Very　fast。
　For　the　first　time；　Travis　sensed　that　he　was　in　grave　peril。　He　knew　that　nothing　in　the　woods　was　big　or　bold　enough　to　attack　him；　but　his　intellect　was　overruled　by　instinct。　His　heart　hammered。
　Above　him；　on　the　higher　path；　the　retriever　had　bee　aware　of　his　hesitation。　It　barked　agitatedly。
　Decades　ago；　he　might　have　thought　an　enraged　black　bear　was　racing　up　the　deer　trail；　driven　mad　by　disease　or　pain。　But　the　cabin　dwellers　and　weekend　hikers…outriders　of　civilization…had　pushed　the　few　remaining　bears　much　farther　back　into　the　Santa　Anas。
　From　the　sound　of　it；　the　unknown　beast　was　within　seconds　of　reaching　the　clearing　between　the　lower　and　higher　trails。
　The　length　of　Travis's　spine；　shivers　tracked　like　melting　bits　of　sleet　trickling　down　a　windowpane。
　He　wanted　to　see　what　the　thing　was；　but　at　the　same　time　he　had　gone　cold　with　dread；　a　purely　instinctive　fear。
　Farther　up　the　canyon；　the　golden　retriever　barked　urgently。
　Travis　turned　and　ran。
　He　was　in　excellent　shape；　not　a　pound　overweight。　With　the　panting　retriever　leading；　Travis　tucked　his　arms　close　to　his　sides　and　sprinted　up　the　deer　trail；　ducking　under　the　few　low…hanging　branches。　The　studded　soles　of　his　hiking　boots　gave　good　traction；　he　slipped　on　loose　stones　and　on　slithery　layers　of　dry　pine　needles；　but　he　did　not　fall。　As　he　ran　through　a　false　fire　of　flickering　sunlight　and　shadow；　another　fire　began　to　burn　in　his　lungs。
　Travis　Cornell's　life　had　been　full　of　danger　and　tragedy；　but　he'd　never　flinched　from　anything。　In　the　worst　of　times；　he　calmly　confronted　loss；　pain；　and　fear。　But　now　something　peculiar　happened。　He　lost　control。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　he　panicked。　Fear　pried　into　him；　touching　a　deep　and　primitive　level　where　nothing　had　ever　reached　him　before。　As　he　ran；　he　broke　out　in　gooseflesh　and　cold　sweat；　and　he　did　not　know　why　the　unknown　pursuer　should　fill　him　with　such　absolute　terror。
　He　did　not　look　back。　Initially；　he　did　not　want　to　turn　his　eyes　away　from　the　twisting　trail　because　he　was　afraid　he　would　crash　into　a　low　branch。　But　as　he　ran；　his　panic　swelled；　and　by　the　time　he　had　gone　a　couple　of　hundred　yards；　the　reason　he　did　not　look　back　was　because　he　was　afraid　of　what　he　might　see。
　He　knew　that　his　response　was　irrational。　The　prickly　sensation　along　the　back　of　his　neck　and　the　iciness　in　his　gut　were　symptoms　of　a　purely　superstitious　terror。　But　the　civilized　and　educated　Travis　Cornell　had　turned　over　the　reins　to　the　frightened　child…savage　that　lives　in　every　human　being…the　genetic　ghost　of　what　we　once　were…and　he　could　not　easily　regain　control　even　though　he　was　aware　of　the　absurdity　of　his　behavior。　Brute　instinct　ruled；　and　instinct　told　him　that　he　must　run；　run；　stop　thinking　and　just　run。
　Near　the　head　of　the　canyon；　the　trail　turned　left　and　carved　a　winding　course　up　the　steep　north　wall　toward　the　ridge。　Travis　rounded　a　bend；　saw　a　log　lying　across　the　path；　jumped　but　caught　one　foot　on　the　rotting　wood。　He　fell　forward；　flat　on　his　chest。　Stunned；　he　could　not　get　his　breath；　could　not　move。
　He　expected　something　to　pounce　on　him　and　tear　out　his　throat。
　The　retriever　dashed　back　down　the　trail　and　leaped　over　Travis；　landing　sure…footedly　on　the　path　behind　him。　It　barked　fiercely　at　whatever　was　chasing　them；　much　more　threateningly　than　when　it　had　challenged　Travis　in　the　clearing。
　Travis　rolled　over　and　sat　up；　gasping。　He　saw　nothing　on　the　trail　below。　Then　he　realized　the　retriever　was　not　concerned　about　anything　in　that　direction　but　was　standing　sideways　on　the　trail；　facing　the　underbrush　in　the　forest　to　the　east　of　them。　Spraying　saliva；　it　barked　stridently；　so　hard　and　loud　that　each　explosive　sound　hurt　Travis's　ears。　The　tone　of　savage　fury　in　its　voice　was　daunting。　The　dog　was　warning　the　unseen　e