At the beating of the tom-tom the people of the place began to gather at the end of the wide street in front of the purple-hued building, and Lacy and Owens were each led from the house they had been kept in.
Owens was clad in a red tunic, while, as has already been stated, Lacy wore a blue one.
Both men seemed glad when the king motioned them to settle what differences they had then and there. One, because he hated the man who stood before him beyond the depth of conception; and the other, because he thought it about time that the thing was settled.
Instead of grappling with each other, the two men began sparring for an opening.
At length Lacy planted a stinging blow on his adversary’s nose, causing the blood to flow freely.
“Naztec!” yelled the crowd, applauding wildly.
Stung to madness, Owens made a sudden dive to the left and seized a knife from the belt of a man standing near.
With a look of fury in his eyes, he sprang upon Lacy, and raised the weapon to plunge it in his heart.