ipoy. She knew that spinning and
weaving were done here, the same as at Maraucourt, and, besides that, it
was here that they manufactured red rope and string. But whether she
knew that or not, it was nothing that would help her in the task before
her.

They turned the bend of the road. With a sweeping glance she could take
in all the great buildings, and although these works were not so large
as those of Maraucourt, they were nevertheless of considerable
importance.

The carriage passed through the great iron gates and soon stopped before
the main office.

"Come with me," said William.

He led her into an office where M. Paindavoine was seated talking to the
manager of the Saint-Pipoy works.

"Here's the girl, sir," said William, holding his hat in his hand.

"Very well; you can go," said his master.

Without speaking to Perrine, M. Paindavoine made a sign to his manager
to come nearer to him. Then he spoke to him in a low voice. The manager
also dropped his voice to answer. But Perrine's hearing was keen, and
she understood that they were speaking of her. She heard the manager
reply: "A young girl, about twelve or thirteen, who looks intelligent."

"Come here, my child," said M. Paindavoine, in the same tone that she
had already heard him use to Rosalie, and which was very different from
that which he used for his employes.

She felt encouraged and went up to him.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Aurelie."

"Where are your father and mother?"

"They are both dead."

"How long have you been in my employ?"

"For three weeks."

"Where do you come from?"

"I have just come from Paris."

"You speak English?"

"My mother was English, and I can speak in conversation, and I understand,
but...."

"There are no 'buts'; you know or you do not know."

"I don't know the words used in various trades, because they use words that
I have never heard, and I don't know the meaning of them," said Perrine.

"You see, Benoist," said M. Paindavoine quickly; "what this little girl
says is so; that shows she is not stupid."

"She looks anything but that," answered Benoist.

"Well, perhaps we shall be able to manage somehow," said M. Vulfran. He
got up, and placing one arm on the manager, he leaned on his cane with
the other.

"Follow us, little girl," he said.

Perrine usually had her eyes about her and noticed everything that
happened, but she took no heed where she was going. As she followed in
her grand