"Oh, Wilfred's crazy about politics," replied Harold, testily. "He thinks of nothing else. It is a perfect mania with him. But Van Zwieten would not be such a fool as to risk his neck because Malet took up the cudgels against the Boers. No, Van Zwieten is innocent enough." "What about Lady Jenny?" Captain Burton changed color, and commenced to pace up and down the room. "She wouldn't have done it. She is half an Italian, I know, and fearfully passionate, but I think she'd stop short of that. Besides, although she is a jolly good shot, I doubt very much if she could hit a man in the dark like that so square as to kill him outright." "But remember, Harold, the shot was fired at close quarters." "I don't believe she'd have had the nerve for that. Of course it's quite possible she may be guilty, but there's not a scrap of evidence against her as far as I can see." "What about the crape? Lady Jenny wore crape!" "That doesn't prove that this scrap was torn from her dress. The crape trimmings on that would lie close to the dress; it wouldn't be so easy for a man to make a clutch at them and tear a piece off as at a scarf, with the ends floating freely. My belief is that the morsel of crape was torn from the scarf." "Well, it was not worn by my father, in spite of what he says." "No. I dare say that man who left Chippingholt by the late train is the man who fired the shot. But your father knows all about it, Brenda. Otherwise he would not insist that he had worn the scarf, nor would he have burnt it as he did. I think with you that this unknown man is a relative of your father's, and that your father is shielding him to avoid the disgrace of having a criminal in the family." "Aunt Judy would know him if he is a relative." "That is very probable; you had better ask her." "Harold, do you think Van Zwieten knows the truth?" Captain Burton hesitated. "It would seem so," said he, "but I don't think he is very sure of the truth, or else he would speak out." "He threatens you, dear." "I know he does. He threatened me at Chippingholt. Brenda, I don't deny that the man is dangerous, and that he knows more than I like him to know. It is in his power to harm me, and if I marry you he will do his best against me. But that sha'n't stop us, Brenda. We'll get married and defy him." Miss Scarse signified her full approval of this course of action; but she saw that her lover was keeping something back. "Harold, what else did Van Zwieten say to you at Chippingholt?" "Oh, nothing of any consequence," replied her lover, uneasily.