"No," was the ready answer; "I don't know that they even saw each other at that time. Eph went away an instant before Ravelli came."
"Did you talk with Ravelli?"
"Yes."
"About what?"
"Not about Eph at all."
"About what, then?"
Now the reply came reluctantly: "A personal matter—something that had occurred between us—an incident at the telegraph station."
"The station where Eph had awakened the girl operator? Was it a quarrel about her?"
"That is no concern of yours. You are impertinent."
"Well, sir, the question is pertinent—as the lawyers say—and the answer concerns you, whether it does me or not. You and Ravelli quarreled about the girl?"