The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-08-26
Chapter 30
CONTACT

CONTACT
CPINELLpS enjoyed a reputation.
~ There was no night club ID New
York that afforded better entertain.
ment or a wider opportunity to
spend money. II was expensive. but
Rdroitly cosmopolitan.
Dinner Jackets and tails" min
gled In utmost freedom with tweeds
and what-nots: the ladies were
equally without restriction in the
choice Of their ensembles, and a
street costume was as welcome as
an evening gown. Salvatore SpineE
II demanded only two requisites
from his patrons: an '.introdnctiony
by way OF entree--and the price.
Colin, as CIarkie Lam. possessed
both.
It had been a matter Of only six
or seven blocks from bis room. and.
encountering no taxi. he had
walked; and now, still In one Of the
lower Fifties. he rang the bell Of the
three-story brownstone front with,
its shaded windows that harbored
Spinelli's admittedly colorful con-
lribution to the night life Of New
York.
He had been there many times
before. The doorman therefore adj
mitted him without question. He
crossed the wide reception hall to
the desk Just inside the from grille
that barred further progress. but
which was so disarmingly artistic
and ornamental that its existence
was robbed Of any suggestion OF
premeditated offense. Here be laid
down bis Eiye.dollar subscription"
---and the door OF the IRON grille
opened for him. A page took his hat.
Colin thrust HIS hands In his peck
cts and for moment stared around
him. II was already after midnight.
spinellps was In full swing.
Guests" were swarming in--he had
not been the only one admitted at
the same time.
Straight ahead OF him was the
dance floor. the entrance blocked by
q bevy Of men and women gathered
around the doorway. From withiH.
q saxophona was playing: and some.
one. boy with gIistening tseth and
sIIeked hair undoubtedly. was Groom
ing song. Colin shrugged bis shOul-
ders. Oh. wen. some peopIa liked
that sort Of thlns and Eplnalli's.
catered to ali fastest
on his right was richly earpeted,
spacious stairway. He turned In that
direction. The bar was on the sec
ond floor. HIS Feet sank noiselessly
into the deep pilA as he mounted
the stairs. Dollairel A month Of fi-
tility. and now. least expected OF all
--Dollaire!
An uplift was upon him that be
had not known for weeks. Whether
merely contemptuous or not. or
whether he knew It or not. D0llaire
was playing against stacked cards.
II Butch Connal and his mob had dis
covered that DolIaire was here, It
was as good as q certainty that the
Mask had discovered Il too--and the
Mask had q very large account to
settle with Dollairei
Contact at lastl n luck broke Tor
him tonight. he would be able to
identlfy-not the Mask. he could
hardly hope for that--but one. or
more perhaps. OF the Masks tools,
That would be encughl He would
act ask for more than that-jusl to
pick np the trail.
LIE GAINED the landing and en-
4 4 tered the barroom. It was huge
room-lts appointments lavish. The
mahogany bar that ran its entire
length glistened even In the SOFT
rose-shaded lighting. People were
coming and going. pairs and groups
were standing about here and there
glass in hand; and yet the room wa
not crowded, for the bar. though 4
kept four or ave whlte-coated a.
tsndants busy. was not the sole Mec
ca OF the thirsty at Spinelll's--ons
came here mostly for the hard stun
Colin glanced up and down ths
room. Butch Connal's drunk At ths
bar" was not hard to identity -of
at least. there was but one man pres
ent who was outstanding In that par
ticnlar. Colin watched the man fol
q momont--a mlddla-aged man IN |
dinner jacket. hts tie sadly awry. hil
gait none too steady as he movet
here and there. ehatteringiy 81
tempting TO inslauate himself int
everybody else's conversation. Til
typical inehriated pest Of the gaE
rulous variety,
who was the man-if Il was IA
mari Hs had never seen the othe
before. TAs man had certainly no