was this little girl?

What had they to fear from her?

Madame Bretoneux had put these questions to her son but his replies had
not satisfied her. She decided to find out for herself, hence her visit.

Very uneasy when she arrived, it was not long before she felt quite at
ease again so well did Perrine play the part that mademoiselle had
advised her.

Although M. Vulfran had no wish to have his nephews living with him he
was very hospitable and cordial to their parents when they came to visit
him. On these occasions the beautiful mansion put on its most festive
appearance; fires were lighted everywhere; the servants put on their
best liveries; the best carriages and horses were brought from the
stables, and in the evening the villagers could see the great chateau
lighted up from ground floor to roof.

The victoria, with the coachman and footman, had met Mme. Bretoneux at
the railway station. Upon her getting out of the carriage Bastien had
been on hand to show her to the apartment which was also reserved for
her on the first floor.

M. Vulfran never made any change in his habits when his relations came
to Maraucourt. He saw them at meal times, spent the evenings with them,
but no more of his time did he give them. With him business came before
everything; his nephew, the son of whichever one happened to be visiting
there, came to luncheon and dinner and remained the evening as late as
he wished, but that was all.

M. Vulfran spent his hours at the office just the same and Perrine was
always with him, so Madame Bretoneux was not able to follow up her
investigations on the "little tramp" as she had wished.

She had questioned Bastien and the maids; she had made a call on Mother
Francoise and had questioned her carefully, also Aunt Zenobie and
Rosalie, and she had obtained all the information that they could give
her; that is, all they knew from the moment of her arrival in the
village until she went to live in the great house as a companion to the
millionaire. All this, it seemed, was due exclusively to her knowledge
of English.

She found it a difficult matter, however, to talk to Perrine alone, who
never left M. Vulfran's side unless it was to go to her own room. Madame
Bretoneux was in a fever of anxiety to see what was in the girl and
discover some reason for her sudden success.

At table Perrine said absolutely nothing. In the morning she went off
with M. Vulfran; after she had finished luncheon she went