You give to us the Christian dog and you shall go out free.
Heed you the call of color and blood—what need we longer fight?
In color and blood you’re brother to me. Oh, black man, give the white.”
Now, one was a white of the Southern breed, and cheap he held the black,
And little he’d thought, as the two had fought, of the man behind his back;
He loved to live as the white man lives, but the Datto’s words rang true;
And he had no doubt, as the chief called out, what the black behind would do.
Two men they stood them back to back, and never a word they said;
But, face to face with an easy death, what thoughts were in each head!
“You go,” the white man spoke at last; “for you owe naught to me;