Dempsey nodded at Andy and William McMahan， thesecretary of the club， and walked rapidly toward a doorat the rear of the hall. Two other members of the Giveand Take Association swiftly joined the little group. TerryO’Sullivan was now in the hands of the Board of Rules andSocial Referees. They spoke to him briefly and softly， andconducted him out through the same door at the rear.
This movement on the part of the Clover Leaf membersrequires a word of elucidation. Back of the associationhall was a smaller room rented by the club. In this roompersonal difficulties that arose on the ballroom floor weresettled， man to man， with the weapons of nature， underthe supervision of the board. No lady could say that shehad witnessed a fight at a Clover Leaf hop in several years.
Its gentlemen members guaranteed that.
So easily and smoothly had Dempsey and the boarddone their preliminary work that many in the hall had notnoticed the checking of the fascinating O’Sullivan’s socialtriumph. Among these was Maggie. She looked about forher escort.
“Smoke up！” said Rose Cassidy. “Wasn’t you on？ DempsDonovan picked a scrap with your Lizzie-boy， and they’vewaltzed out to the slaughter room with him. How’s myhair look done up this way， Mag？”
Maggie laid a hand on the bosom of her cheeseclothwaist.
“Gone to fight with Dempsey！” she said， breathlessly.
“They’ve got to be stopped. Dempsey Donovan can’t fighthim. Why， he’ll—he’ll kill him！”
“Ah， what do you care？” said Rosa. “Don’t some of ’emfight every hop？”
But Maggie was off， darting her zig-zag way through themaze of dancers. She burst through the rear door into thedark hall and then threw her solid shoulder against thedoor of the room of single combat. It gave way， and in theinstant that she entered her eye caught the scene—theBoard standing about with open watches； DempseyDonovan in his shirt sleeves dancing， light-footed， withthe wary grace of the modern pugilist， within easy reach ofhis adversary； Terry O’Sullivan standing with arms folded anda murderous look in his dark eyes. And without slacking thespeed of her entrance she leaped forward with a scream—leaped in time to catch and hang upon the arm of O’Sullivanthat was suddenly uplifted， and to whisk from it the long，bright stiletto that he had drawn from his bosom.
The knife fell and rang upon the floor. Cold steel drawnin the rooms of the Give and Take Association！ Sucha thing had never happened before. Every one stoodmotionless for a minute. Andy Geoghan kicked the stilettowith the toe of his shoe curiously， like an antiquarian whohas come upon some ancient weapon unknown to hislearning.
And then O’Sullivan hissed something unintelligiblebetween his teeth. Dempsey and the board exchangedlooks. And then Dempsey looked at O’Sullivan withoutanger， as one looks at a stray dog， and nodded his head inthe direction of the door.
“The back stairs， Giuseppi，” he said， briefly. “Somebody’llpitch your hat down after you.”
Maggie walked up to Dempsey Donovan. There was abrilliant spot of red in her cheeks， down which slow tearswere running. But she looked him bravely in the eye.
“I knew it， Dempsey，” she said， as her eyes grew dulleven in their tears. “I knew he was a Guinea. His name’sTony Spinelli. I hurried in when they told me you and himwas scrappin’. Them Guineas always carries knives. Butyou don’t understand， Dempsey. I never had a fellow inmy life. I got tired of comin’ with Anna and Jimmy everynight， so I fixed it with him to call himself O’Sullivan， andbrought him along. I knew there’d be nothin’ doin’ forhim if he came as a Dago. I guess I’ll resign from the clubnow.”
Dempsey turned to Andy Geoghan.
“Chuck that cheese slicer out of the window，” he said，“and tell ’em inside that Mr. O’Sullivan has had a telephonemessage to go down to Tammany Hall.”
And then he turned back to Maggie.
“Say， Mag，” he said， “I’ll see you home. And how aboutnext Saturday night？ Will you come to the hop with me ifI call around for you？”
It was remarkable how quickly Maggie’s eyes couldchange from dull to a shining brown.
“With you， Dempsey？” she stammered. “Say—will aduck swim？”