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same time putting an end to his count。
Koolau was alone in the gorge。 He watched the last of his people
drag their crippled bodies over the brow of the height and
disappear。 Then he turned and went down to the thicket where the
maid had keen killed。 The shell…fire still continued； but he
remained； for far below he could see the soldiers climbing up。 A
shell burst twenty feet away。 Flattening himself into the earth； he
heard the rush of the fragments above his body。 A shower of hau
blossoms rained upon him。 He lifted his head to peer down the
trail； and sighed。 He was very much afraid。 Bullets from rifles
would not have worried him； but this shell…fire was abominable。
Each time a shell shrieked by he shivered and crouched； but each
time he lifted his head again to watch the trail。
At last the shells ceased。 This； he reasoned； was because the
soldiers were drawing near。 They crept along the trail in single
file； and he tried to count them until he lost track。 At any rate；
there were a hundred or so of themall come after Koolau the leper。
He felt a fleeting prod of pride。 With war guns and rifles； police
and soldiers； they came for him； and he was only one man； a crippled
wreck of a man at that。 They offered a thousand dollars for him；
dead or alive。 In all his life he had never possessed that much
money。 The thought was a bitter one。 Kapahei had been right。 He；
Koolau； had done no wrong。 Because the haoles wanted labour with
which to work the stolen land； they had brought in the Chinese
coolies； and with them had come the sickness。 And now； because he
had caught the sickness； he was worth a thousand dollarsbut not to
himself。 It was his worthless carcass； rotten with disease or dead
from a bursting shell； that was worth all that money。
When the soldiers reached the knife…edged passage； he was prompted
to warn them。 But his gaze fell upon the body of the murdered maid；
and he kept silent。 When six had ventured on the knife…edge； he
opened fire。 Nor did he cease when the knife…edge was bare。 He
emptied his magazine； reloaded； and emptied it again。 He kept on
shooting。 All his wrongs were blazing in his brain； and he was in a
fury of vengeance。 All down the goat…trail the soldiers were
firing； and though they lay flat and sought to shelter themselves in
the shallow inequalities of the surface； they were exposed marks to
him。 Bullets whistled and thudded about him； and an occasional
ricochet sang sharply through the air。 One bullet ploughed a crease
through his scalp； and a second burned across his shoulder…blade
without breaking the skin。
It was a massacre； in which one man did the killing。 The soldiers
began to retreat； helping along their wounded。 As Koolau picked
them off he became aware of the smell of burnt meat。 He glanced
about him at first； and then discovered that it was his own hands。
The heat of the rifle was doing it。 The leprosy had destroyed most
of the nerves in his hands。 Though his flesh burned and he smelled
it； there was no sensation。
He lay in the thicket； smiling； until he remembered the war guns。
Without doubt they would open upon him again； and this time upon the
very thicket from which he had inflicted the danger。 Scarcely had
he changed his position to a nook behind a small shoulder of the
wall where he had noted that no shells fell； than the bombardment
recommenced。 He counted the shells。 Sixty more were thrown into
the gorge before the war…guns ceased。 The tiny area was pitted with
their explosions； until it seemed impossible that any creature could
have survived。 So the soldiers thought； for； under the burning
afternoon sun； they climbed the goat…trail again。 And again the
knife…edged passage was disputed； and again they fell back to the
beach。
For two days longer Koolau held the passage； though the soldiers
contented themselves with flinging shells into his retreat。 Then
Pahau； a leper boy； came to the top of the wall at the back of the
gorge and shouted down to him that Kiloliana； hunting goats that
they might eat； had been killed by a fall； and that the women were
frightened and knew not what to do。 Koolau called the boy down and
left him with a spare gun with which to guard the passage。 Koolau
found his people disheartened。 The majority of them were too
helpless to forage food for themselves under such forbidding
circumstances； and all were starving。 He selected two women and a
man who were not too far gone with the disease； and sent them back
to the gorge to bring up food and mats。 The rest he cheered and
consoled until even the weakest took a hand in building rough
shelters for themselves。
But those he had dispatched for food did not return； and he started
back for the gorge。 As he came out on the brow of the wall； half a
dozen rifles cracked。 A bullet tore through the fleshy part of his
shoulder； and his cheek was cut by a sliver of rock where a second
bullet smashed against the cliff。 In the moment that this happened；
and he leaped back； he saw that the gorge was alive with soldiers。
His own people had betrayed him。 The shell…fire had been too
terrible； and they had preferred the prison of Molokai。
Koolau dropped back and unslung one of his heavy cartridge…belts。
Lying among the rocks； he allowed the head and shoulders of the
first soldier to rise clearly into view before pulling trigger。
Twice this happened； and then； after some delay； in place of a head
and shoulders a white flag was thrust above the edge of the wall。
〃What do you want？〃 be demanded。
〃I want you； if you are Koolau the leper；〃 came the answer。
Koolau forgot where he was； forgot everything； as he lay and
marvelled at the strange persistence of these haoles who would have
their will though the sky fell in。 Aye； they would have their will
over all men and all things； even though they died in getting it。
He could not but admire them； too； what of that will in them that
was stronger than life and that bent all things to their bidding。
He was convinced of the hopelessness of his struggle。 There was no
gainsaying that terrible will of the haoles。 Though he killed a
thousand； yet would they rise like the sands of the sea and come
upon him； ever more and more。 They never knew when they were
beaten。 That was their fault and their virtue。 It was where his
own kind lacked。 He could see； now； how the handful of the
preachers of God and the preachers of Rum had conquered the land。
It was because …
〃Well； what have you got to say？ Will you come with me？〃
It was he voice of the invisible man under the white flag。 There he
was； like any haole； driving straight toward the end determined。
〃Let us talk；〃 said Koolau。
The man's head and shoulders arose； then his whole body。 He was a
smooth…faced； blue…eyed youngster of twenty…five； slender and natty
in his captain's uniform。 He advanced until halted； then seated
himself a dozen feet away。
〃You are a brave man；〃 said Koolau wonderingly。 〃I could kill you
like a fly。〃
〃No； you couldn't；〃 was the answer。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because you are a man； Koolau； though a bad one。 I know your
story。 You kill fairly。〃
Koolau grunted； but was secretly pleased。
〃What have you done with my people？〃 he demanded。 〃The boy； the two
women； and the man？〃
〃They gave themselves up； as I have now come for you to do。〃
Koolau laughed incredulously。
〃I am a free man；〃 he announced。 〃I have done no wrong。 All I ask
is to be left alone。 I have lived free； and I shall die free。 I
will never give myself up。〃
〃Then your people are wiser than you；〃 answered the young captain。
〃Lookthey are coming now。〃
Koolau turned and watched the remnant of his band approach。
Groaning and sighing； a ghastly procession； it dragged its
wretchedness past。 It was given to Koolau to taste a deeper
bitterness； for they hurled imprecations and insults at him as they
went by； and the panting hag who brought up the rear halted； and
with skinny； harpy…claws extended； shaking her snarling death's head
from side to side； she laid a curse upon him。 One by one they
dropped over the lip…edge and surrendered to the hiding soldiers。
〃You can go now；〃 said Koolau to the captain。 〃I will never give
myself up。 That is my last word。 Good…bye。〃
The captain slipped over the cliff to his soldiers。 The next
moment； and without a flag of truce； he hoisted his hat on his
scabbard； and Koolau's bullet tore through it。 That afternoon they
shelled him out from the beach； and as he retreated into the high
inaccessible pockets beyond； the soldiers followed him。
For six weeks they hunted him from pocket to pocket； over the
volcanic peaks and along the goat…trails