Annie now, after a brief time of reflection, made up her mind to make the best of Priscilla. Priscilla was not to her taste. She was too conscientious and, in Annie's opinion, far too narrow-minded. Nevertheless, they were outwardly very good friends, and must continue to act their parts. So on board the steamer she made herself pleasant, and useful also, to poor Priscilla, who felt the motion of the boat considerably, and had, in short, a bad time. Annie, who was never seasick in her life, won golden opinions while on board for her goodness and consideration to Priscilla; and when, finally, they were ensconced in two comfortable seats _en route_ for Paris, her spirits rose high. She put aside all disagreeable memories and gave herself up to enjoyment. "We shall have fun," she said. "We must make the very best of things; we must forget all school disagreeables." "I only hope one thing," said Priscilla, dropping her voice to a low tone, "and that is that the subject of the prize essay won't be mentioned in my presence. You know how I acted with regard to it. Well, I have done the wicked deed, and want if possible, to forget it." "But why should it be spoken about?" "Surely," remarked Priscilla, "Lady Lushington is very likely to talk on the subject. You know it was on account of Mabel winning the prize that she has been taken away from school." "Oh yes," said Annie in an off-hand way; "but I could quite imagine, from what I have heard of Lady Lushington, that she will forget all about the matter in an incredibly short space of time." "I hope so," said Priscilla; "it will be all the better for me if she does." "There is one thing you must remember, Priscie," said Annie; "if by any chance she alludes to it, you must keep up the deception." Priscilla looked at Annie with very wide-open, grey eyes. "I shall leave the room," she said; "I am not good at being deceitful." Then she added quickly, "There are times when I feel that I can only recover my self-respect by making a clean breast of everything." "Oh!" said Annie, in some alarm, "you could not possibly do that; think what awful trouble you would get poor Mabel and me into." "I know," said Priscilla; "and that is the one thing which keeps me back." "If I might venture to make the remark," said Annie, "it is the one thing which in honour _ought_ to keep you back. There is honour even amongst thieves, you know," she added a little nervously. "And that is what I am," said poor Priscilla. "I have practically stolen my year's schooling; I have, like Esau, sold my birthright for a mess of pottage. Oh! what shall I do?" "Nothing," said Annie; "and please don't talk any more in that particularly intense way, for people will begin to stare at us."