At Eugenia's request no one of their many friends in Brussels came out to say good-bye on the last day. For her own sake and the happiness of the children she wished her departure to be as quiet as possible.
She and Barbara were therefore ready and waiting by noon, when the German officer arrived who was to take them to the border line.
Neither of the girls had been informed who this man might be, nor what his character and rank.
Personally, Barbara felt a considerable anxiety. So much of the comfort of the first of their journey would depend on his courtesy. Then there was the chance that Eugenia might be less strong than they hoped and fall ill again along the way.
Yet Eugenia herself seemed to have no qualms upon the subject. Her one desire appeared to be to get away, to return to the country she had wilfully turned her back upon. For it had been chiefly due to Eugenia's influence that the American Red Cross girls had left France to begin a new service in Belgium.
Finally, when the German officer arrived, Nona, Mildred and Barbara were equally discouraged by his manner and appearance.
In the first place, he was a man of a rough and surly exterior. He was only a sergeant, with an overbearing and insolent method of speaking. Indeed, he made no pretence of treating Eugenia in any way except as an intruder who had come dangerously near being a traitor to his government. Therefore, he had nothing but scorn and dislike of her.
He would have chosen to travel with his prisoner in handcuffs, but since this had been forbidden she should be allowed no other consideration.
So Nona and Mildred had to kiss their friends good-bye with the German sergeant staring at them disdainfully. Then before they realized what was taking place they beheld Eugenia and Barbara being marched down the path toward a car which was to take them to their train.