"I should like an answer, if you please," with some asperity.
The young man laughed harshly. "I'd call it a quarrel," he said.
"A quarrel, eh? What was the subject of this quarrel?"
A slight pause while he mentally debated the wisdom of replying, then with a sudden abandonment of his former brief manner, he said quickly: "I objected to the way my uncle treated his wife. He took umbrage at what he called my impertinence and told me to clear out. I did. It was none too congenial here."
"What do you mean by that last statement?"
"My uncle was always at dagger's points with his father-in-law."
"For what reason?"
"I do not know. I fancy, though, that it was something pretty strong that my uncle held over Mr. Trenton. I have heard him say things that had I been Mr. Trenton, instead of listening meekly, I'd have jumped up and knocked him down."
"What was Mr. Trenton's attitude toward your uncle?"
"He was always very pleasant to him, and never seemed to take offense at what my uncle said."