The star-tips on the water were as sharply defined as points of light upon fathomless darkness.
"Prettily planned; don't you think so?" said Pluizer.
It grumbled, sneeringly.
Thereupon good Death, in a soft, restful voice, said: "Yet all is for the best!"
Then again they sat very still. Johannes waited with them for he could not do otherwise.
The sound of a door was heard in the still night air, and a white figure drew near, with light, swift steps. By the faint starlight Johannes saw the slender girl in a white night-dress, her black hair flowing loose.
For an instant she stood still at the edge of the pool. Johannes could see her eyes shining with both terror and joy, like those of one pursued who sees escape. He tried to call or to move, but could do neither.
Then the girl waded into the water with her arms extended as if to embrace it. She went cautiously, so that the water neither plashed nor spattered; only, the star-points were broken up and became long stripes, and serpentine lines of light. These, after the white garment could be seen no more, still continued—dancing up and down with the ripples.
"We have her!" sneered Pluizer.
"That remains to be seen," said good Death.