Now she stood on the platform at Melkbridge. Her luggage had been put out of the train, which had steamed away. Mavis thought that she would ask the station-master if he knew of a suitable lodging. The man whom she judged to be this person was, at present, engaged with the porters. While she waited till he should be at liberty, her mind went back to the time when she had last stood on the same platform. It had been on the day when she had come down to Melkbridge fully confident of securing work with the Devitt family. This had only been a few months ago, but to Mavis it seemed long years: she had experienced so much in the time. Then it occurred to her how often Archie Windebank had walked on the same platform--Archie Windebank, who was now on the sea so many hundreds of miles from where she stood. She wondered if he ever found time to think of her. She sighed. Seeing that the station-master was disengaged, she approached the spectacled, dapper little man and told him of her wants. "Would it be for long?" he asked. "Possibly for years. I'm coming to work here." "Work!" "In the office of one of Mr Devitt's companies." The man assumed an air of some deference. "Mr Devitt! Our leading inhabitant--sings baritone," remarked the station-master. "Indeed!" "A fair voice, but a little undisciplined in the lower register. This is quite between ourselves." "Of course. Do you think you can help me to find rooms?" "I wish I could. Let me think." Mr Medlicott, as he was called, put the tips of his fingers together, while he reflected. Mavis watched his face for something in the nature of encouragement. "Dear! dear! dear! dear!" he complained. "Don't bother. It's good of you to think of it at all," said Mavis. "Stay! I have it. Why didn't I think of it before? Mrs Farthing: the very thing." "Where does she live?" "The Pennington side of Melkbridge--over a mile from here; but I know you'd find there everything that you desire." "Thanks. I'll leave my boxes here and walk there." "I can save you the trouble. Her husband is guard on the 4.52. If you can fill up the time till then, it will save you walking all that way, perhaps, for no purpose."