“Well, I won’t say, but the miserable coward who would try to strip a fellow of his reputation hadn’t ought to be allowed to go free,” and had Lef seen the flash in the eyes that accompanied these words, he would very likely have trembled more than ever, and tried to walk a chalk-line.
Frank sought the principal after school. He found the professor in his office, and the other welcomed him with a warm smile.
“What can I do for you, Frank? You understand that not for a single minute did I dream that you were guilty. I had remembered the circumstances of your being in my company every bit of the time while I was out of here, and the thief crept in to rob my desk. But I would give a good deal to be able to find out who played so mean a trick upon you.”
“Will you let me see the paper you received, sir?” asked Frank.
“That you will find in my waste-paper basket yonder. Now that you mention it, I can see that it was unwise of me to toss it aside contemptuously. Have you found it, my lad?”
“Yes, sir,” said Frank, bending over.
“I see, you think it possible to recognize the writing. But in this case the scoundrel followed the usual custom with all anonymous letter writers, for he simply printed the words,” remarked the principal.
“Yes, sir, I notice he did. And the paper seems to be just what is used by every student in school, as the supplies come from you,” observed Frank, still examining the crumpled sheet.
“I’m afraid that we may never know who did it, unless through some accident.”
“Where did you find this note, sir?” continued the boy, eagerly, as though a sudden idea had struck him.