“Oh, Garnett’s talking through his hat!” he said lightly. “They put me out because they were tired of me and wanted a change; it had nothing to do with you. Let’s get home. It’s been a long day. Harriet came out fine, didn’t she? Nothing like the old stuff! Really, my dear Mr. Shaw, there’s no need to worry.” “But the female plumpers!” the clerk put in eagerly, still writhing and bitter. “Oh, stop it, Garnett!” Lanty frowned, then softened. The boy’s partisanship was sweet, after all. “I’m sorry, Jimmy. It’s hard lines on you, after the way you slaved for me in your off-time, but it can’t be helped. As for the women, half of them have forgotten what they did by the time they get outside the door.” The young man opened his lips again, but shut them at once with an effort. Only, as he turned and groped for a bicycle leaning somewhere against a tree, Dandy heard him reviling the female plumpers with bitter if bated breath, ending with his original statement: “It never does to take things for granted with a woman!” She also heard Stubbs inquiring for Harriet, and when it appeared that that undutiful daughter had driven off without him, the stranded parent was stuffed into the Austin. Bluecaster had taken charge of the still-sobbing Helwise, murmuring incoherent consolation in the shape of boilers, and persuaded Lanty to come with him as well, leaving Armer, whose groans could be heard all over the square, to follow with the trap. But first the ex-councillor went back for a final word with the ex-canvasser. “It’s really all right!” he said, feeling as sorry for Hamer as for himself. “I’ve far too much on my hands, anyhow, and this will ease me a bit. Don’t you think any more of Garnett’s nonsense. These young ’uns are always too clever by half. He’s wrong, I tell you--dead wrong!” But he knew, and Hamer, looking down at him, knew that the “young ’un” had been perfectly right. At Watters, the poor man tried to eat his wife’s carefully-thought-out supper and could not; and Dandy played an intricate game with a chicken-wing that was always on its way to her mouth and never got there, while Wiggie ate nothing either, in his efforts to keep Mrs. Shaw from observing the others. They drifted to a warm hearth, and were presently comforted a little, but Hamer was still very low when he took his girl in his arms for her good-night kiss. “This is the Last Tram, little one!” he said sadly. “I’ve made a fine mess of it, and I’ll never forgive myself. There’ll be no more tramming for Hamer Shaw!” * * * * *