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           HorryHopeton,whosebaygeldingKingEdwardhadwontheemeraldbracelet,alreadypossessedaruby,adiamondandasapphirebraceletfromotheryears;hehadawifeandfivedaughtersandsaidhecouldn’tstopuntilhehadwonsixbracelets.

           Paddy’sstarchedshirtandcelluloidcollarchafed,thebluesuitwastoohot,andtheexoticSydneysea-foodtheyhadservedwithchampagneatluncheonhadnotagreedwithhismutton-inureddigestion.Andhehadfeltafool,thoughthelookedafool.Bestthoughitwas,hissuitsmackedofcheaptailoringandbucolicunfashionableness.Theywerenothiskindofpeople,theblufftweedygraziers,theloftymatrons,thetoothy,horsyyoungwomen,thecreamofwhattheBulletincalled"thesquattocracy."Fortheyweredoingtheirbesttoforgetthedaysinthelastcenturywhentheyhadsquattedonthelandandtakenvasttractsofitfortheirown,hadittacitlyacknowledgedastheirownwithfederationandthearrivalofhomerule.Theyhadbecomethemostenviedgroupofpeopleonthecontinent,rantheirownpoliticalpart,senttheirchildrentoexclusiveSydneyschools,hobnobbedwiththevisitingPrinceofWales.He,plainPaddyCleary,wasaworkingman.Hehadabsolutelynothingincommonwiththesecolonialaristocrats,whoremindedhimofhiswife’sfamilytoomuchforcomfort.

           SowhenhecameintothepresbyteryloungetofindFrank,MeggieandFatherRalphrelaxedaroundthefireandlookingasiftheyhadspentawonderful,carefreeday,itirritatedhim.