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〃Finally； Kaluna blurted out： 'Look here； Gregory； you think you're
going to find Kalaniweo； but you're not。'
〃Kalaniweo was his sister。 Lyte glanced at him when his name was
called； but he made no answer。 Kaluna was furious。 He was working
himself up all the time。
〃'I'll tell you one thing；' he shouted。 'You'll be on Molokai yourself
before ever you get Kalaniweo there。 I'll tell you what you are。
You've no right to be in the company of honest men。 You've made a
terrible fuss talking about your duty； haven't you？ You've sent many
lepers to Molokai； and knowing all the time you belonged there
yourself。'
〃I'd seen Lyte angry more than once； but never quite so angry as at
that moment。 Leprosy with us； you know； is not a thing to jest about。
He made one leap across the floor； dragging Kaluna out of his chair with
a clutch on his neck。 He shook him back and forth savagely； till you
could hear the half…caste's teeth rattling。
〃'What do you mean？' Lyte was demanding。 'Spit it out； man； or I'll
choke it out of you！'
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〃You know； in the West there is a certain phrase that a man must
smile while uttering。 So with us of the islands； only our phrase is
related to leprosy。 No matter what Kaluna was； he was no coward。 As
soon as Lyte eased the grip on his throat he answered：…
〃'I'll tell you what I mean。 You are a leper yourself。'
Lyte suddenly flung the half…caste sideways into a chair； letting him
down easily enough。 Then Lyte broke out into honest； hearty laughter。
But he laughed alone； and when he discovered it he looked around at our
faces。 I had reached his side and was trying to get him to come away；
but he took no notice of me。 He was gazing； fascinated； at Kaluna；
who was brushing at his own throat in a flurried； nervous way； as if to
brush off the contamination of the fingers that had clutched him。 The
action was unreasoned； genuine。
〃Lyte looked around at us； slowly passing from face to face。
〃'My God； fellows！ My God！' he said。
〃He did not speak it。 It was more a hoarse whisper of fright and
horror。 It was fear that fluttered in his throat； and I don't think that ever
in his life before he had known fear。
〃Then his colossal optimism asserted itself； and he laughed again。
〃'A good jokewhoever put it up；' he said。 'The drinks are on me。
I had a scare for a moment。 But； fellows； don't do it again； to anybody。
It's too serious。 I tell you I died a thousand deaths in that moment。 I
thought of my wife and the kids； and 。 。 。 '
〃His voice broke； and the half…caste； still throat…brushing； drew his
eyes。 He was puzzled and worried。
〃'John；' he said； turning toward me。
〃His jovial； rotund voice rang in my ears。 But I could not answer。
I was swallowing hard at that moment； and besides； I knew my face
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
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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。'
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〃He never looked at us； but started for the door。
〃'You wait here； John；' he said； waving me back from acc