At length, she managed to lead them farther away, though not out of sight of the house, and they all sat down on the grass.  She talked continually and cheerfully, but the atmosphere was tense with waiting.  Ambrose North bowed his grey head in his hands, and Roger, still pale, did not once take his eyes from the door of the little grey house.

After what seemed an eternity, someone came out.  It was one of Allan’s assistants.  A nurse followed, and put a black bag into the buggy which was waiting outside.  Roger was on his feet instantly, watching.

“Sit down,” commanded Eloise, coolly.  “Allan can see us from here, and he will come and tell us.”

Ambrose North lifted his grey head.  “Have they—­finished—­with her?”

“I don’t know,” returned Eloise.  “Be patient just a little longer, please do.”

[Sidenote:  All Right]

Outwardly she was calm, but, none the less, a great sob of relief almost choked her when Doctor Conrad came across the road to them, swinging his black bag, and called out, in a voice high with hope, “All right!”

* * * * *

The sky was a wonderful blue, but the colour of the sea was deeper still.  The vast reaches of sand were as white as the blown snow, and the Tower of Cologne had never been so fair as it was to-day.  The sun shone brightly on the clear glass arches that made the cupola, and the golden bells swayed back and forth silently.

[Sidenote:  The Changed Tower]

Barbara was trying to climb up to the cupola, but her feet were weary and she paused often to rest.  The rooms that opened off from the various landings of the winding stairway were lovelier than ever.  The furnishings had been changed since she was last there, and each room was made to represent a different flower.

There was a rose room, all in pink and green, a pond-lily room in green and white, a violet room in green and lavender, and a gorgeous suite of rooms which someway seemed like a great bouquet of nasturtiums.  But, strangely, there was no fragrance of cologne in the Tower.  The bottles were all on the mantels, as usual, but Barbara could not open any of them.  Instead, there was a heavy, sweet, sickening smell from which she could not escape, though she went continually from room to room.  It followed her like some evil thing that threatened to overpower her.

The Boy who had always been beside her, and whose face she could not see, was still in the Tower, but he was far away, with his back toward her.  He seemed to be suffering and Barbara tried to get to him to comfort him, but some unforeseen obstacle inevitably loomed up in her path.

[Sidenote:  People in the Tower]

There were many people in the Tower, and most of them were old friends, but there were some new faces.  Her father was there, of course, and all the brave knights and lovely ladies of whom she had read in her books.  Miss Wynne was there and she had never been in the Tower before, but Barbara smiled at her and was glad, though she wished they might have had cologne instead of the sickening smell which grew more deadly every minute.