"Why, yes, of course," answered Minnie, as though there could be no two opinions upon this matter. "Selina isn't old enough to think about such things as she ought, or she would not have wanted to tear up a letter that was not her own," said Minnie.
"It would have been a pity if she had torn up this one," said Jessie, "though I am not sure that it won't make your mother ill, after all. There, you go and tell Miss Martin, and get back before your mother comes," she added. For in point of fact Jessie felt half afraid lest her friend was going to lose her senses, and she thought Minnie would know better what to do for her mother than she did.
So Minnie ran off to school, and Selina looked greatly relieved when she saw her sister come in smiling, and looking at her reassuringly, for her long absence had convinced the little girl that the dreadful letter had caused some mischief, and she had informed one or two of her schoolfellows that she knew her mother was ill, as Minnie had not come to school.
But now, instead of going to her own class, Minnie walked straight up to Miss Martin's table, and said—
"If you please, ma'am, mother told me to come and tell you that we have had a letter from the hospital where we thought Fanny had died, and she is not dead, but getting better."
Miss Martin looked so astonished, so incredulous, that Minnie said—
"It is true, ma'am, really."
"But, my dear child, no one ever heard of such a thing before."
"That is what everybody says. And of course we cannot tell how it could have happened; but we have got a letter from Fanny, herself, as well as from the people at the hospital, telling us that a mistake was made, and she is getting better."
"Dear me! How wonderful! But how careless somebody must have been to make such a mistake. Nov, you want to go and tell Selina and one or two of Fanny's friends, I know. Selina does not know the news, or we should all have heard it long ago," added Miss Martin.