She had a long walk after she got out of the train at Picquigny. But she walked along lightly past the meadows bordered with poplars and limes, past the river where the villagers in their Sunday clothes were fishing, past the windmills which, despite the fact that the day was calm, were slowly moving round, blown by the breeze from the sea which could be felt even there. She walked through the pretty 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 Françoise." "Ah! Madame Françoise." "What! do you know her?" "No, I just said, 'Ah, Madame Françoise.'" "She's known everywhere for her 'eats' and 'cause she was nurse to Monsieur Edmond Paindavoine. Whenever the men want to ask the boss, Monsieur Vulfran Paindavoine, for anything, they get my grandmother to ask for them." "Does she always get what they want?"