"Bad news, dear--you have bad news," she murmured, looking into his downcast face. "I can see it in your eyes." They sat silent on the rustic seat. The birds had ceased to sing, the sun to shine, and the summer breeze was cold--cold as their hearts and hands in that moment of sadness. They were a handsome couple. The man tall, thin-flanked, and soldiery of bearing; dark eyes, dark hair, dark moustache, and a clean-cut, bronzed face, alert, vivacious, and full of intelligence. Brenda was a stately blonde, golden-haired, blue-eyed, and passionate as one of those stormy queens of the Nibelungen Lied, to whom love, insistent and impassioned, was as the breath of life. Both were filled with the exuberant vitality of youth, fit to overcome all obstacles, greatly daring and resolutely courageous. Yet, seated there, hand in hand, they were full of despondency--even to cowardice. Brenda felt that was so, and made an effort to rouse herself and him. "Come, dear," she said, kissing her lover, "the sun will shine again. Things can't be so bad as to be past mending. He has refused?" "Absolutely. He won't give me the money." "On the ground that he does not approve of me!" Harold nodded. "He tried to make out that you were in love with Van Zwieten!" "Oh! he is so ready to stoop to any meanness," said Brenda, scornfully. "I always disliked Mr. Malet. Perhaps my dislike is hereditary, for my father detests him." "On political grounds?" "Of course. But those are strongest of all grounds for hatred. Religion and politics have caused more trouble and more wars than--" she broke off suddenly. "Of course you don't believe this about Mr. van Zwieten." "Need you ask?" said Burton, tenderly. "The fellow is staying with you still?" "Yes. He has been here for the last two days talking politics with father, and worrying me. Thank goodness, he goes to-morrow!" "Glad of it," growled Burton. "He is the Beast mentioned in Revelation. By the way, Brenda, who is Van Zwieten?" Miss Scarse looked puzzled. "A friend of my father's." "Yes; but what is his position--where does he come from--how does he make his income? There is something mysterious about the fellow." "He comes from Holland--he is a friend of Dr. Leyds--and he is shortly going out to fill some post under the Transvaal Government. That's all I know about him." "He seems to have plenty of money." "Yes, he spends a good deal, to judge from what I saw of him in town last season. Then he is a popular cricketer, you know." "I know. But the idea of a foreigner playing cricket!" "Well, Mr. van Zwieten does, and very well too. You must have seen about his play in the papers. He is a great man at Lord's." "All the same, he is a mystery; and he is too much mixed up with the Boers to please me. If there is a war, I hope he'll be with them that I may have a shy at him." Brenda laughed, and pressed her lover's arm. "You silly boy, you are jealous."