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Koolau laughed aloud in the thicket。
〃Come out！〃 the sheriff commanded； and was answered by silence。
He conferred with the police； and Koolau saw that they were
preparing to rush him。
〃Koolau；〃 the sheriff called。 〃Koolau； I am coming across to get
you。〃
〃Then look first and well about you at the sun and sea and sky； for
it will be the last time you behold them。〃
〃That's all right； Koolau；〃 the sheriff said soothingly。 〃I know
you're a dead shot。 But you won't shoot me。 I have never done you
any wrong。〃
Koolau grunted in the thicket。
〃I say； you know； I've never done you any wrong； have I？〃 the
sheriff persisted。
〃You do me wrong when you try to put me in prison；〃 was the reply。
〃And you do me wrong when you try for the thousand dollars on my
head。 If you will live； stay where you are。〃
〃I've got to come across and get you。 I'm sorry。 But it is my
duty。〃
〃You will die before you get across。〃
The sheriff was no coward。 Yet was he undecided。 He gazed into the
gulf on either side and ran his eyes along the knife…edge he must
travel。 Then he made up his mind。
〃Koolau；〃 he called。
But the thicket remained silent。
〃Koolau； don't shoot。 I am coming。〃
The sheriff turned； gave some orders to the police； then started on
his perilous way。 He advanced slowly。 It was like walking a tight
rope。 He had nothing to lean upon but the air。 The lava rock
crumbled under his feet； and on either side the dislodged fragments
pitched downward through the depths。 The sun blazed upon him； and
his face was wet with sweat。 Still he advanced； until the halfway
point was reached。
〃Stop！〃 Koolau commanded from the thicket。 〃One more step and I
shoot。〃
The sheriff halted； swaying for balance as he stood poised above the
void。 His face was pale； but his eyes were determined。 He licked
his dry lips before he spoke。
〃Koolau； you won't shoot me。 I know you won't。〃
He started once more。 The bullet whirled him half about。 On his
face was an expression of querulous surprise as he reeled to the
fall。 He tried to save himself by throwing his body across the
knife…edge； but at that moment he knew death。 The next moment the
knife…edge was vacant。 Then came the rush； five policemen； in
single file； with superb steadiness； running along the knife…edge。
At the same instant the rest of the posse opened fire on the
thicket。 It was madness。 Five times Koolau pulled the trigger； so
rapidly that his shots constituted a rattle。 Changing his position
and crouching low under the bullets that were biting and singing
through the bushes； he peered out。 Four of the police had followed
the sheriff。 The fifth lay across the knife…edge still alive。 On
the farther side； no longer firing； were the surviving police。 On
the naked rock there was no hope for them。 Before they could
clamber down Koolau could have picked off the last man。 But he did
not fire； and； after a conference； one of them took off a white
undershirt and waved it as a flag。 Followed by another； he advanced
along the knife…edge to their wounded comrade。 Koolau gave no sign；
but watched them slowly withdraw and become specks as they descended
into the lower valley。
Two hours later； from another thicket； Koolau watched a body of
police trying to make the ascent from the opposite side of the
valley。 He saw the wild goats flee before them as they climbed
higher and higher； until he doubted his judgment and sent for
Kiloliana； who crawled in beside him。
〃No； there is no way；〃 said Kiloliana。
〃The goats？〃 Koolau questioned。
〃They come over from the next valley； but they cannot pass to this。
There is no way。 Those men are not wiser than goats。 They may fall
to their deaths。 Let us watch。〃
〃They are brave men；〃 said Koolau。 〃Let us watch。〃
Side by side they lay among the morning…glories； with the yellow
blossoms of the hau dropping upon them from overhead； watching the
motes of men toil upward； till the thing happened； and three of
them； slipping； rolling； sliding； dashed over a cliff…lip and fell
sheer half a thousand feet。
Kiloliana chuckled。
〃We will be bothered no more；〃 he said。
〃They have war guns；〃 Koolau made answer。 〃The soldiers have not
yet spoken。〃
In the drowsy afternoon； most of the lepers lay in their rock dens
asleep。 Koolau； his rifle on his knees； fresh…cleaned and ready；
dozed in the entrance to his own den。 The maid with the twisted
arms lay below in the thicket and kept watch on the knife…edge
passage。 Suddenly Koolau was startled wide awake by the sound of an
explosion on the beach。 The next instant the atmosphere was
incredibly rent asunder。 The terrible sound frightened him。 It was
as if all the gods had caught the envelope of the sky in their hands
and were ripping it apart as a woman rips apart a sheet of cotton
cloth。 But it was such an immense ripping； growing swiftly nearer。
Koolau glanced up apprehensively； as if expecting to see the thing。
Then high up on the cliff overhead the shell burst in a fountain of
black smoke。 The rock was shattered； the fragments falling to the
foot of the cliff。
Koolau passed his hand across his sweaty brow。 He was terribly
shaken。 He had had no experience with shell…fire； and this was more
dreadful than anything he had imagined。
〃One；〃 said Kapahei； suddenly bethinking himself to keep count。
A second and a third shell flew screaming over the top of the wall；
bursting beyond view。 Kapahei methodically kept the count。 The
lepers crowded into the open space before the caves。 At first they
were frightened； but as the shells continued their flight overhead
the leper folk became reassured and began to admire the spectacle。
The two idiots shrieked with delight； prancing wild antics as each
air…tormenting shell went by。 Koolau began to recover his
confidence。 No damage was being done。 Evidently they could not aim
such large missiles at such long range with the precision of a
rifle。
But a change came over the situation。 The shells began to fall
short。 One burst below in the thicket by the knife…edge。 Koolau
remembered the maid who lay there on watch； and ran down to see。
The smoke was still rising from the bushes when he crawled in。 He
was astounded。 The branches were splintered and broken。 Where the
girl had lain was a hole in the ground。 The girl herself was in
shattered fragments。 The shell had burst right on her。
First peering out to make sure no soldiers were attempting the
passage； Koolau started back on the run for the caves。 All the time
the shells were moaning； whining； screaming by； and the valley was
rumbling and reverberating with the explosions。 As he came in sight
of the caves； he saw the two idiots cavorting about； clutching each
other's hands with their stumps of fingers。 Even as he ran； Koolau
saw a spout of black smoke rise from the ground； near to the idiots。
They were flung apart bodily by the explosion。 One lay motionless；
but the other was dragging himself by his hands toward the cave。
His legs trailed out helplessly behind him； while the blood was
pouring from his body。 He seemed bathed in blood； and as he crawled
he cried like a little dog。 The rest of the lepers； with the
exception of Kapahei； had fled into the caves。
〃Seventeen；〃 said Kapahei。 〃Eighteen；〃 he added。
This last shell had fairly entered into one of the caves。 The
explosion caused the caves to empty。 But from the particular cave
no one emerged。 Koolau crept in through the pungent； acrid smoke。
Four bodies； frightfully mangled； lay about。 One of them was the
sightless woman whose tears till now had never ceased。
Outside； Koolau found his people in a panic and already beginning to
climb the goat…trail that led out of the gorge and on among the
jumbled heights and chasms。 The wounded idiot； whining feebly and
dragging himself along on the ground by his hands； was trying to
follow。 But at the first pitch of the wall his helplessness
overcame him and he fell back。
〃It would be better to kill him；〃 said Koolau to Kapahei； who still
sat in the same place。
〃Twenty…two；〃 Kapahei answered。 〃Yes； it would be a wise thing to
kill him。 Twenty…threetwenty…four。〃
The idiot whined sharply when he saw the rifle levelled at him。
Koolau hesitated； then lowered the gun。
〃It is a hard thing to do；〃 he said。
〃You are a fool； twenty…six； twenty…seven；〃 said Kapahei。 〃Let me
show you。〃
He arose； and with a heavy fragment of rock in his hand； approached
the wounded thing。 As he lifted his arm to strike； a shell burst
full upon him； relieving him of the necessity of the act and at the
same time putting an end to h