y village of St. Pipoy, with its red roofs
and quaint church, and over the railway tracks which unites the towns
wherein Vulfran Paindavoine has his factories, and which joins the main
line to Boulogne.

As Perrine passed the pretty church the people were coming out from
mass. Listening to them as they talked in groups she heard again the
sing-song manner of talking that her father had often imitated so as to
amuse her.

On the country road she saw a young girl walking slowly ahead of her
carrying a very heavy basket on her arm.

"Is this the way to Maraucourt?" Perrine asked.

"Yes, this road ... quite straight."

"Quite straight," said Perrine laughing, "it isn't so very straight after
all."

"If you are going to Maraucourt, I'm going there too, and we could go
together," suggested the girl.

"I will if you'll let me help you carry your basket," said Perrine with a
smile.

"I won't say no to that, for it's sure heavy!"

The girl put her basket on the ground and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You don't belong to Maraucourt, do you?" asked the girl.

"No, do you?"

"Sure I do."

"Do you work in the factories?"

"Should say so, everybody does here."

"How much do they pay?"

"Ten sous."

"And is it hard work?"

"Not very; but you have to have a sharp eye and not waste time. Do you want
to get in there?"

"Yes, if they'd have me."

"Should say they would have you; they take anybody. If they didn't how do
you think they'd get the seven thousand hands they've got. Just be there
tomorrow morning at 6 o'clock at the gate. We must hurry now or I'll be
late. Come on."

She took the handle of the basket on one side and Perrine took it on the
other side and they set out on the road, keeping in step down the middle.

Here was an opportunity for Perrine to learn what held interest for her. It
was too good for her not to seize it. But she was afraid to question this
girl openly. She must put the questions she wanted answered in a way that
would not arouse her suspicions.

"Were you born at Maraucourt?" she began.

"Sure, I'm a native and my mother was too, my father came from Picquigny."

"Have you lost them?"

"Yes, I live with my grandmother who keeps a grocer store and restaurant.
She's Madame Francoise."

"Ah! Madame Francoise."

"What! do you know her?"

"No, I just said, 'Ah, Madame Francoise.'"

"She's known everywhere for her 'eats' and 'cause she was nurse to Monsieur
Edmond Paindavo