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

282 THE FOOT OF TIME
And Sir Bruce looked down on him with a
tolerant smile of good humoured amusement, but
said no word.
"Allow me to introduce my parents to you, Mr.
Burne. You have already met my mother; this is
my father, Sir Bruce Arbuthnot."
"But—but you ain't married, that what you're
not."
"Oh, dear me, yes he is," came Clare's voice from
the background. "Aren't you, darling?"
"You'll find there is no doubt about that, Mr.
Burne," the baronet assured him.
"But—but —"
"But, Daddy," came from Edith, "perhaps, dear
—I only say perhaps, you know—you may have
been listening to a lot of idle gossip that didn't concern
you?"
"Well, so I may, Edie, my girl; so I may. Dang
it, I always liked the lad!"
"And we may shake hands, may we, Burne?"
enquired Sir Bruce.
For one moment the farmer hesitated, then his
whole instinct (always going out to a real man
when he met one) melted like snow under a Darjeeling
sun.
"The Lord's name be praised!" he said. "Glad, I
could cry with it. Shake? Too true I'll shake, Sir
Bruce, and here's my hand upon it!"
It was at this juncture that Florence Tooth
elected to make her appearance.
"So you're wrong again William, eh?" she rasped
out. "Confess it and make amends."
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THE FOOT OF TIME
283
"Ah! Florence," he said, "and glad to be wrong
at that. You're in this or I'm a Dutchman. Well,
girl, it's good enough to quit hating on, this is.
Who'd 'ave thought it now? The boy's got a
decent father and mother—parents to be proud on.
Why, Florence, my gal, I could hug you this blessed
minute, that could I!"
Her feelings worked up, slightly emotional,
Florence Tooth volunteered:
"You can kiss me if you like, William."
"Well, I'll be flambusted!" ejaculated that
worthy. "Mother, did you hear that, now?"
"Go on, William, kiss your sister-in-law, do!"
said Mrs. William Burne.