"Why do you think it strange, Mr. van Zwieten?"
"Ach! is it not strange? His brother Wilfred stays there--he is there now. Mr. Malet is Captain Burton's cousin, and he is hospitable--not to me," added he, with a sleepy smile; "Mr. Malet does not like me."
Brenda ignored this last remark. "If you ask Captain Burton for his reasons I have no doubt he will gratify your curiosity," she said coldly.
"Oh, I do not care; it is nothing to me." Van Zwieten paused, then resumed very deliberately, "I do not like Captain Burton."
"Really! The loss is his."
"I do not like Captain Burton," repeated Van Zwieten, "because he likes you."
"What has that to do with me?" asked Brenda, injudiciously.
"Everything. I love you--I want to marry you!"
"You told me all about that, Mr. van Zwieten, and I told you I was unable to marry you. It was agreed that we should drop the subject."
"Captain Burton loves you and wants to marry you," pursued the big man, doggedly, "and so I do not like Captain Burton."