"There," said Annie when the door had closed behind her, "isn't she just splendid? Haven't we managed well? Oh! I am tired and sleepy. Aren't you, Mabel?" "I don't know," said Mabel. "I am bewildered. I never knew what it was before to feel just awfully wicked." "You will get over that, dear. We'll just wait a minute longer, and then we'll creep up to our rooms. What a good thing it was that I oiled the locks! There is no fear of any one finding us out." CHAPTER SIX. MRS PRIESTLEY. The town of Hendon was only a mile away from the school, and the girls constantly rode there on their bicycles. They were never allowed to go without a teacher accompanying them. Quite a favourite exercise was to ride through the little town and out into the country at the other end. Mrs Priestley was one of the most fashionable dressmakers at Hendon, and had the custom of most of the best girls of the school. Those, however, who were a little poor or short of funds employed a certain Mrs Arnold, who was also fairly good, but did not produce nearly such stylish gowns as those which issued from the Priestley establishment. When Annie, in her pretty way--for her manners could be exceedingly pretty when she chose--asked Mrs Lyttelton for permission to go to Mrs Priestley on the afternoon of the following day, that lady neither expressed nor felt surprise. "You can certainly do so, my dear," she said; "only don't stay long. And why is not Mabel Lushington going herself? I did not know, Annie, that you had your dresses made by Mrs Priestley." "I don't as a rule," replied Annie in her sweet little, gentle voice. "My uncle can't afford it. But on this special occasion--oh, it is a great secret, Mrs Lyttelton!--Uncle Maurice will let me have a very plain white muslin made by Mrs Priestley. You know it isn't the material that counts so much; it is the way a dress is cut and made up. Mrs Priestley has such exquisite style." "That is certainly the case," said Mrs Lyttelton. "Then you are going there about your dress?" "I am; but, please, you won't betray me?" "Betray you, dear Annie? What do you mean?" "I don't want the girls to know that I am to wear a Priestley dress until the great day. It is just my own little secret. You won't breathe it, dear Mrs Lyttelton?" "Certainly not, my child. I am glad that such a small thing gives you pleasure. And it is quite natural," she added, "that a young girl should wish to be well dressed. But don't think too much of it, Annie. Our dresses are by no means the most important things in life." "I could not live with you," said Annie, "without being well aware of that." There came a pretty colour into her cheeks, which always made her look very nearly beautiful; and her eyes lost that expression which made some people who were not her greatest friends consider Annie Brooke just a tiny bit "not straight, you know."