But instead he looked round for the garments she must have left somewhere, and seeing them, stepped quietly across the widening pools and gathered up the soft, sweet-smelling heap of dainty raiment; clenching his hands tight upon them to prevent himself from burying his face in the perfumed delicate things which he had not the right even to touch.
A little knot of pale pink bébé ribbon came away in his hand, and he twisted it around the seaweed ring she had twined about his finger, then untwisted them both and slipped them into his pocket, and stooped to pick up something which had slipped from the garments and tinkled on the rocks.
"Oh, you beauty!" he said as he held the jewel out in his open hand, and "Oh, you brute!" he said again is the cat's-eye winked cunningly at him with the knowledge of all ages in its lustrous depths.
Then he went back, crushing his flimsy burden to his heart; and placing it upon a rock near the sleeping girl, strode off to the opening of the little connecting cove, where he stood in the shadows and called;
"Leonie! Are you there, Leonie?"
Leonie stirred, settled down again to sleep, and stirred each time the voice rang insistently.
Who knows if love would have brought her back to consciousness and the immediate necessity to rise and clothe herself, and flee for safety?
Anyway, the tide decided and sent a little wave that thoroughly drenched her and brought her to her knees shivering and bewildered.
"Tide in!"
She glanced round hurriedly and drew her hand across her eyes.