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sending him to the States on this surf…board proposition； and I've
been wanting to speak to you about it。 I should have thought you'd
be glad to get him out of the country。 It would be a good way to
end your persecution of him。〃
〃Persecution？〃 Percival Ford's eyebrows lifted interrogatively。
〃Call it by any name you please；〃 Kennedy went on。 〃You've hounded
that poor devil for years。 It's not his fault。 Even you will admit
that。〃
〃Not his fault？〃 Percival Ford's thin lips drew tightly together
for the moment。 〃Joe Garland is dissolute and idle。 He has always
been a wastrel； a profligate。〃
〃But that's no reason you should keep on after him the way you do。
I've watched you from the beginning。 The first thing you did when
you returned from college and found him working on the plantation as
outside luna was to fire himyou with your millions； and he with
his sixty dollars a month。〃
〃Not the first thing；〃 Percival Ford said judicially； in a tone he
was accustomed to use in committee meetings。 〃I gave him his
warning。 The superintendent said he was a capable luna。 I had no
objection to him on that ground。 It was what he did outside working
hours。 He undid my work faster than I could build it up。 Of what
use were the Sunday schools； the night schools； and the sewing
classes； when in the evenings there was Joe Garland with his
infernal and eternal tum…tumming of guitar and ukulele； his strong
drink； and his hula dancing？ After I warned him； I came upon himI
shall never forget itcame upon him； down at the cabins。 It was
evening。 I could hear the hula songs before I saw the scene。 And
when I did see it； there were the girls； shameless in the moonlight
and dancingthe girls upon whom I had worked to teach clean living
and right conduct。 And there were three girls there； I remember；
just graduated from the mission school。 Of course I discharged Joe
Garland。 I know it was the same at Hilo。 People said I went out of
my way when I persuaded Mason and Fitch to discharge him。 But it
was the missionaries who requested me to do so。 He was undoing
their work by his reprehensible example。〃
〃Afterwards； when he got on the railroad； your railroad； he was
discharged without cause；〃 Kennedy challenged。
〃Not so；〃 was the quick answer。 〃I had him into my private office
and talked with him for half an hour。〃
〃You discharged him for inefficiency？〃
〃For immoral living； if you please。〃
Dr。 Kennedy laughed with a grating sound。 〃Who the devil gave it to
you to be judge and jury？ Does landlordism give you control of the
immortal souls of those that toil for you？ I have been your
physician。 Am I to expect tomorrow your ukase that I give up Scotch
and soda or your patronage？ Bah！ Ford； you take life too
seriously。 Besides； when Joe got into that smuggling scrape （he
wasn't in your employ； either）； and he sent word to you； asked you
to pay his fine； you left him to do his six months' hard labour on
the reef。 Don't forget； you left Joe Garland in the lurch that
time。 You threw him down； hard； and yet I remember the first day
you came to schoolwe boarded； you were only a day scholaryou had
to be initiated。 Three times under in the swimming tankyou
remember； it was the regular dose every new boy got。 And you held
back。 You denied that you could swim。 You were frightened；
hysterical〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 Percival Ford said slowly。 〃I was frightened。 And
it was a lie； for I could swim 。 。 。 And I was frightened。〃
〃And you remember who fought for you？ who lied for you harder than
you could lie； and swore he knew you couldn't swim？ Who jumped into
the tank and pulled you out after the first under and was nearly
drowned for it by the other boys； who had discovered by that time
that you COULD swim？〃
〃Of course I know；〃 the other rejoined coldly。 〃But a generous act
as a boy does not excuse a lifetime of wrong living。〃
〃He has never done wrong to you？personally and directly； I mean？〃
〃No；〃 was Percival Ford's answer。 〃That is what makes my position
impregnable。 I have no personal spite against him。 He is bad； that
is all。 His life is bad〃
〃Which is another way of saying that he does not agree with you in
the way life should be lived；〃 the doctor interrupted。
〃Have it that way。 It is immaterial。 He is an idler〃
〃With reason；〃 was the interruption； 〃considering the jobs out of
which you have knocked him。〃
〃He is immoral〃
〃Oh； hold on now； Ford。 Don't go harping on that。 You are pure New
England stock。 Joe Garland is half Kanaka。 Your blood is thin。
His is warm。 Life is one thing to you； another thing to him。 He
laughs and sings and dances through life； genial； unselfish；
childlike； everybody's friend。 You go through life like a
perambulating prayer…wheel； a friend of nobody but the righteous；
and the righteous are those who agree with you as to what is right。
And after all； who shall say？ You live like an anchorite。 Joe
Garland lives like a good fellow。 Who has extracted the most from
life？ We are paid to live； you know。 When the wages are too meagre
we throw up the job； which is the cause； believe me； of all rational
suicide。 Joe Garland would starve to death on the wages you get
from life。 You see； he is made differently。 So would you starve on
his wages； which are singing； and love〃
〃Lust； if you will pardon me；〃 was the interruption。
Dr。 Kennedy smiled。
〃Love； to you； is a word of four letters and a definition which you
have extracted from the dictionary。 But love； real love； dewy and
palpitant and tender； you do not know。 If God made you and me； and
men and women； believe me He made love； too。 But to come back。
It's about time you quit hounding Joe Garland。 It is not worthy of
you； and it is cowardly。 The thing for you to do is to reach out
and lend him a hand。〃
〃Why I； any more than you？〃 the other demanded。 〃Why don't you
reach him a hand？〃
〃I have。 I'm reaching him a hand now。 I'm trying to get you not to
down the Promotion Committee's proposition of sending him away。 I
got him the job at Hilo with Mason and Fitch。 I've got him half a
dozen jobs； out of every one of which you drove him。 But never mind
that。 Don't forget one thingand a little frankness won't hurt
youit is not fair play to saddle another fault on Joe Garland； and
you know that you； least of all； are the man to do it。 Why； man；
it's not good taste。 It's positively indecent。〃
〃Now I don't follow you；〃 Percival Ford answered。 〃You're up in the
air with some obscure scientific theory of heredity and personal
irresponsibility。 But how any theory can hold Joe Garland
irresponsible for his wrongdoings and at the same time hold me
personally responsible for themmore responsible than any one else；
including Joe Garlandis beyond me。〃
〃It's a matter of delicacy； I suppose； or of taste； that prevents
you from following me；〃 Dr。 Kennedy snapped out。 〃It's all very
well； for the sake of society； tacitly to ignore some things； but
you do more than tacitly ignore。〃
〃What is it； pray； that I tacitly ignore！〃
Dr。 Kennedy was angry。 A deeper red than that of constitutional
Scotch and soda suffused his face； as he answered：
〃Your father's son。〃
〃Now just what do you mean？〃
〃Damn it； man； you can't ask me to be plainer spoken than that。 But
if you will； all rightIsaac Ford's sonJoe Garlandyour
brother。〃
Percival Ford sat quietly； an annoyed and shocked expression on his
face。 Kennedy looked at him curiously； then； as the slow minutes
dragged by； became embarrassed and frightened。
〃My God！〃 he cried finally； 〃you don't mean to tell me that you
didn't know！〃
As in answer； Percival Ford's cheeks turned slowly grey。
〃It's a ghastly joke；〃 he said； 〃a ghastly joke。〃
The doctor had got himself in hand。
〃Everybody knows it；〃 he said。 〃I thought you knew it。 And since
you don't know it； it's time you did； and I'm glad of the chance of
setting you straight。 Joe Garland and you are brothershalf…
brothers。〃
〃It's a lie；〃 Ford cried。 〃You don't mean it。 Joe Garland's mother
was Eliza Kunilio。〃 （Dr。 Kennedy nodded。） 〃I remember her well；
with her duck pond and taro patch。 His father was Joseph Garland；
the beach…comber。〃 （Dr。 Kennedy shook his head。） 〃He died only two
or three years ago。 He used to get drunk。 There's where Joe got
his dissoluteness。 There's the heredity for you。〃
〃And nobody told you；〃 Kennedy said wonderingly； after a pause。
〃Dr。 Kennedy； you have said something terrible； which I cannot allow
to pass。 You must either prove or； or 。 。 。 〃
〃Prove it yourself。 Turn around and look at him。 You've got him in
profile。 Look at his nose