ation.

"There aren't many people in this morning train," he remarked,
"specially in the first-class carriages."

The plate-layer appeared in no wise unwilling to postpone for a few
moments his tiring and chilly underground patrol; he put down his pick
before answering.

"Well, that's not surprising, is it? People who are rich enough to
travel first-class always come by the express which gets to Brives at
2.50 A.M."

"I see," said Francois Paul; "that's reasonable: and more practical for
travellers to Brives or Cahors. But what about the people who want to
get out at Gourdon, or Souillac, or Verrieres, or any of the small
stations where the express doesn't stop?"

"I don't know," said the plate-layer; "but I suppose they have to get
out at Brives or Cahors and drive, or else travel by the day trains,
which are fast to Brives and slow afterwards."

Francois Paul did not press the matter. He lit a pipe and breathed upon
his benumbed fingers.

"Hard times, these, and no mistake!"

The plate-layer seemed sorry for him.

"I don't suppose you're an independent gentleman, but why don't you try
to get taken on here?" he suggested. "They want hands here."

"Oh, do they?"

"That's the fact; this is the foreman coming along now: would you like
me to speak to him for you?"

"No hurry," replied Francois Paul. "'Course, I'm not saying no, but I
should like to see what sort of work it is they're doing here: it might
not suit me; I shall still have time to get a couple of words with him,"
and with his eyes on the ground the tramp slowly walked along the
embankment away from the plate-layer.

The foreman met and passed him, and came up to the plate-layer at the
mouth of the tunnel.

"Well, Michu, how goes it with you? Still got the old complaint?"

"Middling, boss," the worthy fellow answered: "just keeping up, you
know. And how's yourself? And the work? When shall you finish? I don't
know if you know it, but these trains stopping regularly in my section
give me an extra lot of work."

"How's that?" the foreman enquired in surprise.

"The engine drivers take advantage of the stop to empty their ash-pans,
and they leave a great heap of mess there in my tunnel, which I'm
obliged to clear away. In the ordinary way they dump it somewhere else:
where, I don't know, but not in my tunnel, and that's all I care about."

The foreman laughed.

"You're a good 'un, Michu! If I were you I would ask the Company to give
me an