The doorman was no longer there when he went in.The hatcheck girl was gone.Only Bruno Tattaglia waited to greet him and lead him to the deserted bar at the side of the room.
" Black" Burton, a man evil-tempered and malicious, had been picking a quarrel with a tenderfoot at the bar, when Thornton stepped good-naturedly between.
Bar-room bravado, domestic wrangling, an insulting remark, a disparaging word, a rude action-those are the little things that lead to assault and murder.