Brenda might well be excused for her enthusiasm. Captain Harold Burton did make a most striking and soldierly figure in his close-fitting khaki uniform. He was trim and natty in his dress, bright and ardent, and full of enthusiasm for the work before him. Brenda would have had him a trifle more subdued since he was about to leave her; but she had no cause to complain when he said good-bye. He felt their parting as much as she did, even though as a man and a soldier he was more able to conceal his emotions. "Come down to my cabin, Brenda," he said, taking her arm, "I have got ten minutes to spare. We start in half an hour." "I won't come," Mr. Scarse said, waving his hand. "Take her down, Harold, and get it over." The two went below amongst the busy throng of stewards who were darting about getting the cabins in order. Into one on the starboard side Captain Burton led his wife. He shared it with a brother officer, who was at that moment on duty. Harold closed the door. The girl was crying bitterly now. He took her in his arms. "Don't cry, dear little wife," he said tenderly. "Please God, I'll come back to you safe and sound." "Oh, Harold, you will, I know you will!" she said earnestly. "Nothing will happen to you. I dreamed it did, Harold, and dreams always go by contraries, you know. Dearest, if only I were coming with you, I wouldn't mind." "Dear Brenda, it is better as it is; besides, I should have had to leave you at Cape Town. You could not have come to the front. No, dear, you stay with your father, and pray for a speedy end to the war. Remember you are my wife now, Brenda, so I have no fear of any harm coming to you through that scoundrel Van Zwieten." "He is here, Harold. I saw him among the crowd. I have no fear for you, dear, there at the front; but--well, I am afraid of Van Zwieten's treachery." "But he is in England, dearest; he can't hurt me out there." "He is leaving for the Cape almost immediately. Father told me so." "Well, then," laughed Harold to comfort her, "if I see him in the ranks of the enemy I'll shoot him before he can take sight at me. Will that do?" "Harold, he won't be in the ranks of the enemy." "Why not? The fellow is a Boer--or to all intents and purposes will be when he takes up his Transvaal appointment." "That's just it. He has given up the appointment and is going out as correspondent to _The Morning Planet_." Captain Burton wrinkled his forehead. "I don't like this sudden conversion," he said decisively. "Wilfred believes the fellow is a spy." "And so do I, dearest--from the bottom of my heart." "Well, if he's going to hang about our camps for the spy business I'll make short work of him." "Be careful, Harold--oh, be careful. He is a dangerous man."