From behind the tall white men a little bent figure appeared and went to Sam.
"I be your man," he whispered; "if you not ashame' for a red man."
Sam smiled swiftly in his white, set face, and gripped the old man's hand hard. "Good man!" he said. "You're the best!"
Mahooley, Birley, and another, abashed by this little scene, now stepped forward. Sam waved them back.
"Musq'oosis is my second," he said.
"Straight Marquis of Queensberry rules," said Big Jack. "No hitting in the break-away."
This was an advantage to Sam.
"Time!" cried Big Jack.
The adversaries stepped out of their corners.
All this while Bela had been standing by the kitchen door with her hands pressed tight to her breast and her agonized eyes following all that went on. She did not clearly understand. But when they advanced toward each other she knew. She ran into the middle of the room between them.