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stamped it into the gravel。 But I saw him in the surgery five
minutes afterwards； with Doctor Goodhue scarifying the wounds and
injecting permanganate of potash。 The next morning Kersdale's arm
was as big as a barrel； and it was three weeks before the swelling
went down。
All of which has nothing to do with my story； but which I could not
avoid giving in order to show that Jack Kersdale was anything but a
coward。 It was the cleanest exhibition of grit I have ever seen。
He never turned a hair。 The smile never left his lips。 And he
dived with thumb and forefinger into Dottie Fairchild's hair as
gaily as if it had been a box of salted almonds。 Yet that was the
man I was destined to see stricken with a fear a thousand times more
hideous even than the fear that was mine when I saw that writhing
abomination in Dottie Fairchild's hair； dangling over her eyes and
the trap of her bodice。
I was interested in leprosy； and upon that； as upon every other
island subject； Kersdale had encyclopedic knowledge。 In fact；
leprosy was one of his hobbies。 He was an ardent defender of the
settlement at Molokai； where all the island lepers were segregated。
There was much talk and feeling among the natives； fanned by the
demagogues； concerning the cruelties of Molokai； where men and
women； not alone banished from friends and family； were compelled to
live in perpetual imprisonment until they died。 There were no
reprieves； no commutations of sentences。 〃Abandon hope〃 was written
over the portal of Molokai。
〃I tell you they are happy there；〃 Kersdale insisted。 〃And they are
infinitely better off than their friends and relatives outside who
have nothing the matter with them。 The horrors of Molokai are all
poppycock。 I can take you through any hospital or any slum in any
of the great cities of the world and show you a thousand times worse
horrors。 The living death！ The creatures that once were men！
Bosh！ You ought to see those living deaths racing horses on the
Fourth of July。 Some of them own boats。 One has a gasoline launch。
They have nothing to do but have a good time。 Food； shelter；
clothes； medical attendance； everything； is theirs。 They are the
wards of the Territory。 They have a much finer climate than
Honolulu； and the scenery is magnificent。 I shouldn't mind going
down there myself for the rest of my days。 It is a lovely spot。〃
So Kersdale on the joyous leper。 He was not afraid of leprosy。 He
said so himself； and that there wasn't one chance in a million for
him or any other white man to catch it； though he confessed
afterward that one of his school chums； Alfred Starter； had
contracted it； gone to Molokai； and there died。
〃You know； in the old days；〃 Kersdale explained； 〃there was no
certain test for leprosy。 Anything unusual or abnormal was
sufficient to send a fellow to Molokai。 The result was that dozens
were sent there who were no more lepers than you or I。 But they
don't make that mistake now。 The Board of Health tests are
infallible。 The funny thing is that when the test was discovered
they immediately went down to Molokai and applied it； and they found
a number who were not lepers。 These were immediately deported。
Happy to get away？ They wailed harder at leaving the settlement
than when they left Honolulu to go to it。 Some refused to leave；
and really had to be forced out。 One of them even married a leper
woman in the last stages and then wrote pathetic letters to the
Board of Health； protesting against his expulsion on the ground that
no one was so well able as he to take care of his poor old wife。〃
〃What is this infallible test？〃 I demanded。
〃The bacteriological test。 There is no getting away from it。
Doctor Herveyhe's our expert； you knowwas the first man to apply
it here。 He is a wizard。 He knows more about leprosy than any
living man； and if a cure is ever discovered； he'll be that
discoverer。 As for the test； it is very simple。 They have
succeeded in isolating the bacillus leprae and studying it。 They
know it now when they see it。 All they do is to snip a bit of skin
from the suspect and subject it to the bacteriological test。 A man
without any visible symptoms may be chock full of the leprosy
bacilli。〃
〃Then you or I； for all we know；〃 I suggested； 〃may be full of it
now。〃
Kersdale shrugged his shoulders and laughed。
〃Who can say？ It takes seven years for it to incubate。 If you have
any doubts go and see Doctor Hervey。 He'll just snip out a piece of
your skin and let you know in a jiffy。〃
Later on he introduced me to Dr。 Hervey； who loaded me down with
Board of Health reports and pamphlets on the subject； and took me
out to Kalihi； the Honolulu receiving station； where suspects were
examined and confirmed lepers were held for deportation to Molokai。
These deportations occurred about once a month； when； the last good…
byes said； the lepers were marched on board the little steamer； the
Noeau； and carried down to the settlement。
One afternoon； writing letters at the club； Jack Kersdale dropped in
on me。
〃Just the man I want to see；〃 was his greeting。 〃I'll show you the
saddest aspect of the whole situationthe lepers wailing as they
depart for Molokai。 The Noeau will be taking them on board in a few
minutes。 But let me warn you not to let your feelings be harrowed。
Real as their grief is； they'd wail a whole sight harder a year
hence if the Board of Health tried to take them away from Molokai。
We've just time for a whiskey and soda。 I've a carriage outside。
It won't take us five minutes to get down to the wharf。〃
To the wharf we drove。 Some forty sad wretches； amid their mats；
blankets； and luggage of various sorts； were squatting on the
stringer piece。 The Noeau had just arrived and was making fast to a
lighter that lay between her and the wharf。 A Mr。 McVeigh； the
superintendent of the settlement； was overseeing the embarkation；
and to him I was introduced； also to Dr。 Georges； one of the Board
of Health physicians whom I had already met at Kalihi。 The lepers
were a woebegone lot。 The faces of the majority were hideoustoo
horrible for me to describe。 But here and there I noticed fairly
good…looking persons； with no apparent signs of the fell disease
upon them。 One； I noticed； a little white girl； not more than
twelve； with blue eyes and golden hair。 One cheek； however； showed
the leprous bloat。 On my remarking on the sadness of her alien
situation among the brown…skinned afflicted ones； Doctor Georges
replied：…
〃Oh； I don't know。 It's a happy day in her life。 She comes from
Kauai。 Her father is a brute。 And now that she has developed the
disease she is going to join her mother at the settlement。 Her
mother was sent down three years agoa very bad case。〃
〃You can't always tell from appearances；〃 Mr。 McVeigh explained。
That man there； that big chap； who looks the pink of condition； with
nothing the matter with him； I happen to know has a perforating
ulcer in his foot and another in his shoulder…blade。 Then there are
othersthere； see that girl's hand； the one who is smoking the
cigarette。 See her twisted fingers。 That's the anaesthetic form。
It attacks the nerves。 You could cut her fingers off with a dull
knife； or rub them off on a nutmeg…grater； and she would not
experience the slightest sensation。〃
〃Yes； but that fine…looking woman； there；〃 I persisted； 〃surely；
surely； there can't be anything the matter with her。 She is too
glorious and gorgeous altogether。〃
〃A sad case；〃 Mr。 McVeigh answered over his shoulder； already
turning away to walk down the wharf with Kersdale。
She was a beautiful woman； and she was pure Polynesian。 From my
meagre knowledge of the race and its types I could not but conclude
that she had descended from old chief stock。 She could not have
been more than twenty…three or four。 Her lines and proportions were
magnificent； and she was just beginning to show the amplitude of the
women of her race。
〃It was a blow to all of us；〃 Dr。 Georges volunteered。 〃She gave
herself up voluntarily； too。 No one suspected。 But somehow she had
contracted the disease。 It broke us all up； I assure you。 We've
kept it out of the papers； though。 Nobody but us and her family
knows what has become of her。 In fact； if you were to ask any man
in Honolulu； he'd tell you it was his impression that she was
somewhere in Europe。 It was at her request that we've been so quiet
about it。 Poor girl； she has a lot of pride。〃
〃But who is she？〃 I asked。 〃Certainly； from the way you talk about
her； she must be somebody。〃
〃Did you ever hear of Lucy Mokunui？〃 he asked。
〃Lucy Mokunui？〃 I repeated； haunted by some familiar association。 I
shook my head。