‘Come on and get a spot of tea,’ he said. ‘I reckon you must be clammed, and there’s near an hour before the train goes.’ It made her flurried and impatient to think that Abner had not understood her. ‘I don’t want you to be with me,’ she said. ‘She’s watching us. Don’t you see?’ ‘Let her watch!’ said Abner, looking round in a way that made Mrs Malpas sure that they had been speaking of her. ‘Come on . . .’ But she slipped away from him in the crowd outside the steps so quickly that he could not very well follow her with dignity. At the same moment Connor and Atwell appeared and solved his perplexity by dragging him off into a public-house. Mick gave the ball a kick, as he called it, with a round of Irish whisky. None of them had tasted any food since they left their homes before dawn, and the spirit soon went into Abner’s head. They sat in a corner of the bar, laughing uproariously at Mick’s ridiculous stories, and making outrageous plans for getting their own back on Badger. Indeed, if the clock in the bar had not struck to warn them of the time, they would have missed their train. They had to hurry down the steep hill to Shrewsbury station. Lights were gleaming in the muddy streets and in the windows of tall, half-timbered houses. Above them hung the threatening mass of the castle. ‘That’s where poor old George will get his lodging,’ said Mick. ‘This time eighteen month . . .’ said Atwell solemnly. ‘Ah, not at all,’ said Mick. ‘Sure he’ll be out and about next winter, if he plays his game.’ At the station they found they had still a few minutes to spare, and Abner’s hazy intention of looking for Mary was lost in another rush to the third-class refreshment-room. Just before the train started he ran along the carriages to see if he could find her. In one carriage he saw Mrs Malpas, in another three Lesswardine policemen, in a third Mr Hind was sitting with Susie, who smiled at him. Mary was nowhere to be seen. Mick pulled him into a smoker as the train was starting. ‘God help me!’ said he, ‘is it crazed you are that you can’t leave the woman five minutes to herself. You’ll be seeing all you want of her time her George comes out.’ Atwell laughed stupidly. Abner jumped up in a rage and was for throwing Connor through the window. ‘Ah, be quiet now!’ Mick persuaded, ‘for I don’t mane a word of it!’