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The Spruce Street Tragedy; or, Old Spicer Handles a Double Mystery
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While he was receiving his pay, Barney made a slight motion to him with his hand, which Old Spicer caught, and at once prepared to see what came of it.
The barkeeper turned and went over to the corner.
"Listen with all your ears now," said Old Spicer, in a low and rapid whisper, "for the time has come for us to learn something."
"I'm ready to drink it all in," replied his companion, quietly.
CHAPTER XIV.
JIM TAYLOR MAKES HIS APPEARANCE
"Where's the proprietor?" asked Barney, as the barkeeper approached his table.
"Don't know," was the reply; "hasn't been around much for the past two or three days. Him and his chum are having a pretty loud time of it, I reckon."
"His chum? Do you mean Hen Chamberlain?"
"No, that ain't his name."
"No, of course not. What am I thinking of? Frank Clark's more like it, eh?"
"That's the man."
"So they're off together?"
"I suppose so; they're together most of the time – thicker than thieves, by Jove!"
"Damon and Pythias over again, eh?"
"I should say so."
"Taylor hasn't been in this morning?"
"No."
"Wasn't he here yesterday?"
"Only for a little while. Do you want to see him?"
"I jist do that."
"Anything up?"
"Nothing very alarming. I heard he wanted to sell this place. Do you know anything about it?"
"I hadn't heard that he wanted to sell it, but I reckon he'd be glad enough to."
"'Tain't paying very well, I reckon?"
"Not first-rate; but if a man had a little capital, and would make it a little more attractive, it could be made to pay first-class."
"That's exactly what I think. I've got an idea or two that I believe can be made to work here, and pay big."
"Shall you be alone?"
"No; I shall have a partner. Expect him here every moment."
"If you should make a trade you will want a barkeeper, I suppose?"
"Certainly; and if Taylor speaks well of you, there's no doubt but you can stay on if you want to."
"He ought to speak well of me. He trusts me with everything. You can see for yourself, he goes off for days together, and leaves me to run the establishment alone."
"I see, and I'm sure you're jist the man we shall want."
"Thank you, sir. Will you take something more, sir?"
"Don't mind if I do."
The barkeeper went behind the bar, placed a bottle and two glasses on a salver, and returned.
"This is on me," he said, seating himself opposite Barney, who, after he had taken a drink, asked:
"This Frank Clark, do you know him?"
"Only as I have seen him here," was the reply.
"He's from down East, isn't he?" asked Barney.
"Yes, Connecticut way, I believe," returned the other.
"Where does he board?"
"Don't think he has any regular boarding-place."
"He has a room, I suppose?"
"Yes; but I don't know just where it is."
"It's in this neighborhood?"
"Yes; but I can't give you the street and number."
"He visits a girl on Sixth Avenue pretty often, I hear."
"Yes, and a thundering pretty girl she is, too."
"What's her name?"
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