"And you think he was jealous?"
"I do. What led to the quarrel was, he charged me with loitering round Trewinion so that I might waylay her, and influence her against him."
"But why did you not mention that in court?"
"What would have been the good of it? He would have denied it on oath. Besides, I'd rather be accused of drunkenness than drag Miss Grover's name into such a sordid squabble."
"Oh, indeed!" and the Captain's eyebrows went up perceptibly.
"You'll excuse me talking so freely, Capt'n Tom," Rufus went on, "but it really does me good to open my heart to someone, and I know you'll respect my confidence."
"I wish you had come to me sooner my boy, though I never thought very seriously of the matter. I concluded it was a sudden lapse, and in all probability would never happen again."
"But it was nothing of the sort," Rufus said, with a touch of vehemence in his tone. "I am as innocent of the charge as you are."
"Then the men who witnessed against you are guilty of perjury?"
"Timothy Polgarrow is, without a doubt. Poor old Micah Martin may have fancied I was not sober. Besides, he would conceive it to be his bounden duty to accept his young master's word."