And she hid her face and began to sob afresh.
"It was your mother's brooch," answered Alec.
"Yes, yes; but we could have got it out somehow."
"No other how.—I would have done that for any girl. You don't know what I would do for you, Kate."
"You shouldn't have frightened me. I had been thinking how greedy the pool looked," said Kate, rising now, as if she dared not remain longer beside it.
"I didn't mean to frighten you, Kate. I never thought of it. I am almost a water-rat."
"And now you'll get your death of cold. Come along."
Alec laughed. He was in no hurry to go home. But she seized his hand and half-dragged him all the way. He had never been so happy in his life.
Kate had cried because he had jumped into the water!
That night they had a walk in the moonlight. It was all moon—the air with the mooncore in it; the trees confused into each other by the sleep of her light; the bits of water, so many moons over again; the flowers, all pale phantoms of flowers: the whole earth, transfused with reflex light, was changed into a moon-ghost of its former self. They were walking in the moon-world.