"Come along, Wilfred," said Brenda. "Do let us get home."
But before he could reply, a hubbub arose amid the crowd not far distant, and they turned in that direction. From out the jeers and laughter an angry voice could be heard holding forth in abuse of the Government and in praise of the Boers.
Then the crowd parted, surged along, and Brenda saw advancing a tall, thin man. He wore a snuff-colored coat, and a yard or so of crape wrapped round his throat like a scarf. And his face--how like it was to that of her father!
"Oh!" she cried, grasping Wilfred's arm, "that is the man who----"
"Hush!" Van Zwieten whispered fiercely. "Don't accuse him in public!"
[CHAPTER XI.]
A STARTLING DISCOVERY.
In her anxiety to solve the mystery which surrounded this man, so like her father, Brenda would, but for the publicity of the position, have rushed forward and questioned him. Moreover, he began at once to speak loudly in abuse of the Government and in defence of the Boer Republic.
"It is the capitalists who want this war," he cried excitedly; "Rhodes and Beit and all that gang of scoundrels. Chamberlain is merely playing into their hands. Their villainous scheme is to take the gold mines from these unoffending people, and they are prepared to massacre them in their greed for gold. Kruger is----"
"Shut your mouth!" shouted a big, scowling man, thrusting himself forward. "We'll make you if you don't."