“Who says so?” roared Burke.
“He knocked you out,” repeated Vincent.
“Who says so?” Burke roared again, and somehow there was less confidence in the same volume of sound.
“Well, not O’Hallohan; He stayed bought. But I have it straight. No, I’m not trying to draw you out on a guess. I don’t play that kind of game. If I tell you I know it for a fact, I do.”
“Well, and what of it?” said Marty.
“Just this. I wouldn’t dismiss a man for getting knocked out by a bigger man—”
“He ain’t bigger.”
“By a better fighter, then; but I doubt whether or not I want a foreman who has to resort to that kind of thing—to buying off the man who licked—”
“I didn’t buy him off,” said Burke, as if he knew the distinction, even in his own mind, was a fine one.
“Oh, yes, you did,” answered Farron. And getting up, with his hands in his pockets, he added, “I’m afraid your usefulness to me is over, Burke.”