Moreover, the house had also escaped the interest of the German invaders of the land. So why in the world should it be of so great interest to Eugenia that she was making this lonely pilgrimage, without taking any one of the three Red Cross girls into her confidence?
The house was of brick and a large one. Every outside shutter was closed in front and the vines had so grown over them that they were half covered. There was a porch also in front, but the boards of the steps had long since rotted away.
At first only a large toad appeared to greet Eugenia. He eyed her distrustfully for a second, his round eyes bulging and his body rigid with suspicion. Then he hopped behind his stone fortress, which chanced to be a large stone at the end of the path before the house.
However, Eugenia did not see him. Neither did she attempt to go up the rickety steps. How absurd it would have been anyhow to have battered at the door of a mansion that had been uninhabited for years!
Instead she marched deliberately around the house and knocked at a door at the side.
A few seconds after, this door was opened by a woman of middle age.
She looked very worn and unhappy, but her face brightened at the sight of her guest.
"I was so afraid you wouldn't, couldn't get here," she said. "I suppose you know you are taking a risk."
Eugenia nodded in her usual matter of fact fashion.
"I promised your friend I would do my best," she returned. "Will you please take me up to the room. You must make up your mind to get more air into this house. I don't think you need fear you will be suspected, if you managed to arrive here without being detected."