It was on Thursday, when she reached the factories with the two machinists, that she found Monsieur Fabry in the workshop busy inspecting the work that had already been done. Discreetly she waited at a distance, not taking part in any of the explanations that were being made, but all the same the chief machinist drew her into the conversation.
"Without this little girl's help," he said, "we should have stood here waiting with our arms folded."
Monsieur Fabry then looked at her, but he said nothing, and she on her side did not dare ask him what she had to do now, whether she was to stay at Saint-Pipoy or return to Maraucourt.
She stood there undecided, thinking that as it was M. Vulfran who had sent for her, it would be he who would send her away or keep her.
He came at his usual hour, led by the manager, who gave him an account of the orders that the engineer had given and the observations that he had made. But it appeared that he was not completely satisfied.
"It is a pity that the little girl is not here," he said in annoyance.
"But she is here," replied the manager, making a sign to Perrine to approach.
"Why was it you did not go back to Maraucourt, girl?" he asked.
"I thought that I ought not to leave here until you told me to go back," she replied.
"That was quite right," he said. "You must be here waiting for me when I come...."