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didn't look just right。
〃'John；' he called again； taking a step nearer。
〃He called timidly； and of all nightmares of horrors the most
frightful was to hear timidity in Lyte Gregory's voice。
〃'John； John； what does it mean？' he went on； still more timidly。
'It's a joke； isn't it？ John； here's my hand。 If I were a leper
would I offer you my hand？ Am I a leper； John？'
〃He held out his hand； and what in high heaven or hell did I care？
He was my friend。 I took his hand； though it cut me to the heart to
see the way his face brightened。
〃'It was only a joke； Lyte；' I said。 'We fixed it up on you。 But
you're right。 It's too serious。 We won't do it again。'
〃He did not laugh this time。 He smiled； as a man awakened from a
bad dream and still oppressed by the substance of the dream。
〃'All right； then；' he said。 'Don't do it again； and I'll stand for
the drinks。 But I may as well confess that you fellows had me going
south for a moment。 Look at the way I've been sweating。'
〃He sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he started to
step toward the bar。
〃'It is no joke；' Kaluna said abruptly。 I looked murder at him； and
I felt murder； too。 But I dared not speak or strike。 That would
have precipitated the catastrophe which I somehow had a mad hope of
still averting。
〃'It is no joke；' Kaluna repeated。 'You are a leper； Lyte Gregory；
and you've no right putting your hands on honest men's fleshon the
clean flesh of honest men。'
〃Then Gregory flared up。
〃'The joke has gone far enough！ Quit it！ Quit it； I say； Kaluna；
or I'll give you a beating！'
〃'You undergo a bacteriological examination；' Kaluna answered； 'and
then you can beat meto death； if you want to。 Why； man； look at
yourself there in the glass。 You can see it。 Anybody can see it。
You're developing the lion face。 See where the skin is darkened
there over your eyes。
〃Lyte peered and peered； and I saw his hands trembling。
〃'I can see nothing；' he said finally； then turned on the hapa…
haole。 'You have a black heart； Kaluna。 And I am not ashamed to
say that you have given me a scare that no man has a right to give
another。 I take you at your word。 I am going to settle this thing
now。 I am going straight to Doc Strowbridge。 And when I come back；
watch out。'
〃He never looked at us； but started for the door。
〃'You wait here； John；' he said； waving me back from accompanying
him。
〃We stood around like a group of ghosts。
〃'It is the truth；' Kaluna said。 'You could see it for yourselves。'
〃They looked at me； and I nodded。 Harry Burnley lifted his glass to
his lips； but lowered it untasted。 He spilled half of it over the
bar。 His lips were trembling like a child that is about to cry。
Ned Austin made a clatter in the ice…chest。 He wasn't looking for
anything。 I don't think he knew what he was doing。 Nobody spoke。
Harry Burnley's lips were trembling harder than ever。 Suddenly；
with a most horrible； malignant expression he drove his fist into
Kaluna's face。 He followed it up。 We made no attempt to separate
them。 We didn't care if he killed the half…caste。 It was a
terrible beating。 We weren't interested。 I don't even remember
when Burnley ceased and let the poor devil crawl away。 We were all
too dazed。
〃Doc Strowbridge told me about it afterward。 He was working late
over a report when Lyte came into his office。 Lyte had already
recovered his optimism； and came swinging in； a trifle angry with
Kaluna to be sure； but very certain of himself。 'What could I do？'
Doc asked me。 'I knew he had it。 I had seen it coming on for
months。 I couldn't answer him。 I couldn't say yes。 I don't mind
telling you I broke down and cried。 He pleaded for the
bacteriological test。 〃Snip out a piece； Doc；〃 he said； over and
over。 〃Snip out a piece of skin and make the test。〃
〃The way Doc Strowbridge cried must have convinced Lyte。 The
Claudine was leaving next morning for Honolulu。 We caught him when
he was going aboard。 You see； he was headed for Honolulu to give
himself up to the Board of Health。 We could do nothing with him。
He had sent too many to Molokai to hang back himself。 We argued for
Japan。 But he wouldn't hear of it。 'I've got to take my medicine；
fellows；' was all he would say； and he said it over and over。 He
was obsessed with the idea。
〃He wound up all his affairs from the Receiving Station at Honolulu；
and went down to Molokai。 He didn't get on well there。 The
resident physician wrote us that he was a shadow of his old self。
You see he was grieving about his wife and the kids。 He knew we
were taking care of them； but it hurt him just the same。 After six
months or so I went down to Molokai。 I sat on one side a plate…
glass window； and he on the other。 We looked at each other through
the glass and talked through what might be called a speaking tube。
But it was hopeless。 He had made up his mind to remain。 Four
mortal hours I argued。 I was exhausted at the end。 My steamer was
whistling for me； too。
〃But we couldn't stand for it。 Three months later we chartered the
schooner Halcyon。 She was an opium smuggler； and she sailed like a
witch。 Her master was a squarehead who would do anything for money；
and we made a charter to China worth his while。 He sailed from San
Francisco； and a few days later we took out Landhouse's sloop for a
cruise。 She was only a five…ton yacht； but we slammed her fifty
miles to windward into the north…east trade。 Seasick？ I never
suffered so in my life。 Out of sight of land we picked up the
Halcyon； and Burnley and I went aboard。
〃We ran down to Molokai； arriving about eleven at night。 The
schooner hove to and we landed through the surf in a whale…boat at
Kalawaothe place； you know； where Father Damien died。 That
squarehead was game。 With a couple of revolvers strapped on him he
came right along。 The three of us crossed the peninsula to
Kalaupapa； something like two miles。 Just imagine hunting in the
dead of night for a man in a settlement of over a thousand lepers。
You see； if the alarm was given； it was all off with us。 It was
strange ground； and pitch dark。 The leper's dogs came out and bayed
at us； and we stumbled around till we got lost。
〃The squarehead solved it。 He led the way into the first detached
house。 We shut the door after us and struck a light。 There were
six lepers。 We routed them up； and I talked in native。 What I
wanted was a kokua。 A kokua is； literally； a helper； a native who
is clean that lives in the settlement and is paid by the Board of
Health to nurse the lepers； dress their sores； and such things。 We
stayed in the house to keep track of the inmates； while the
squarehead led one of them off to find a kokua。 He got him； and he
brought him along at the point of his revolver。 But the kokua was
all right。 While the squarehead guarded the house； Burnley and I
were guided by the kokua to Lyte's house。 He was all alone。
〃'I thought you fellows would come；' Lyte said。 'Don't touch me；
John。 How's Ned； and Charley； and all the crowd？ Never mind； tell
me afterward。 I am ready to go now。 I've had nine months of it。
Where's the boat？'
〃We started back for the other house to pick up the squarehead。 But
the alarm had got out。 Lights were showing in the houses； and doors
were slamming。 We had agreed that there was to be no shooting
unless absolutely necessary； and when we were halted we went at it
with our fists and the butts of our revolvers。 I found myself
tangled up with a big man。 I couldn't keep him off me； though twice
I smashed him fairly in the face with my fist。 He grappled with me；
and we went down； rolling and scrambling and struggling for grips。
He was getting away with me； when some one came running up with a
lantern。 Then I saw his face。 How shall I describe the horror of
it。 It was not a faceonly wasted or wasting featuresa living
ravage； noseless； lipless； with one ear swollen and distorted；
hanging down to the shoulder。 I was frantic。 In a clinch he hugged
me close to him until that ear flapped in my face。 Then I guess I
went insane。 It was too terrible。 I began striking him with my
revolver。 How it happened I don't know； but just as I was getting
clear he fastened upon me with his teeth。 The whole side of my hand
was in that lipless mouth。 Then I struck him with the revolver butt
squarely between the eyes； and his teeth relaxed。〃
Cudworth held his hand to me in the moonlight； and I could see the
scars。 It looked as if it had been mangled by a dog。
〃Weren't you afraid？〃 I asked。
〃I was。 Seven years I waited。 You know； it takes that long for the
disease to incubate。 Here in Kona I waited；