No sooner had this Bally Morris seen the two Patsy was following enter, than he went up to them and began a quarrel with them, charging them with having gone back on him in some matter.
It was clear to Patsy that the two had no wish for a quarrel at the time, and he saw them get out of the place as soon as they could.
And he changed his tactics at once. Slipping out, he tore off his beard and false mustache, letting the two go where they would, believing that he would get trace of them at half-past seven at the Grand Central Station.
Having got into his own proper person, he went back into the saloon to find Bally Morris.
That amiable young person recognized Patsy at once, and was not, apparently, anxious to see the young detective.
“Oh, ho,” thought Patsy. “He’s afraid of me. He’s been up to something and thinks I am on.”
Asking Morris to take a drink with him, he said:
“Who were the two guys you were wanting to scrap wid, Bally?”
“I don’t know who dey is. I hed a muss wid ’em las’ night to a rag spiel.”
“Oh, come off, Bally. Don’t play me dat way. Gimme it straight.”