The Foot of Time: A Novel of Australia and the South Seas: (1933)

220 THE FOOT OF TIME
He commenced kindly enough, holding himself
in.
"Look, Edie, my little girl, it's just been brought
to me, as news travels, that the antecedents of
young Bruce ain't what they ought to be. Understand
me, Ede, I have nothing agin the lad hisself.
It's no fault of his'n, but its been brought to me
that his father is an out-paced rascal, a sinner in
the eyes of the Almighty, and what makes it for
being worse, without excuse, seeing that the villain's
a aristocrat."
"Really, father!"
"It's too awful to put it to you, my own lassie,
but"—Mr. Burne sunk his voice to a whisper in
case anyone might inadvertently hear—"Mrs.
Swinton divorced young Bruce's father, Edie, for
the devil's own sin of adultery!"
William Burne stood back to note the overwhelming
effect this would unquestionably have
upon his beloved daughter, but Edith only eyed
him gravely, her temper rising.
"If it means anything to you, lass, no one is more
sorry than your old Dad, but never again must so
much as the shadow of Bruce Swinton darken these
doors. I forbid you to speak to him, know him, or
think about him. He's evil in the sight of the Almighty,
born even after his father wasn't his father
any longer, as the saying is."
"You don't know what you are talking about,
Daddy," said Edith. "In fact, you are talking sheer
nonsense."
"What's that I hear?" thundered Burne. "Do I
'ear aright?" The man's anger dropped from him.
........
THE FOOT OF TIME
221
"Edith, my little daughter, what I am telling you
is true—true as I stand here. May I drop down
dead if it isn't true!"
"Whatever has that got to do with me, Dad?
I don't care a rap who or what Mr. Swinton's
father was or does, or anything else."
"But, Edie, darling, listen to your old Dad who
loves every hair of your pretty head. Don't you
see, pretty, you can't ever think of marrying the
boy?"
"I haven't the slightest intention of marrying
him, father."
A look of profound relief passed over Burne's
rugged features. "Spoken like my own girlee," he
said. "Spoken like our dear lassie. I knew you
would listen to your old Dad. I said to your Ma,
darling. Our Edie, Mother,' I said, `is a strongminded
girl--as strong as she is good. But always
will she heed the dictates of her own father—
always'---"
"It's nothing whatever to do with that, Daddy.
I'm not dreaming of marrying Mr. Swinton because--well,
just because I'm not. I don't want to,
that's all. As to his family history, whatever business
is that of ours?"
"Ah! girlie, we'll say no more about it, then.
It's not for us to judge. The Almighty will deal
with 'im.”
"I should take care he doesn't deal with you,
Dad," replied the girl, losing her temper completely.
"It's beastly of you dragging other
people's affairs in the mud like you do. I hate it!
Do you hear? I loathe it!"