"On the floor in the hall. Soggy was sweeping out when I went back for something I had forgotten. Just by accident I saw your writing, and unconsciously stooped to pick it up. Oh! Frank, what a cruel shock it gave me," she said.
"Well, as near as I can remember, I tried to thrust both pieces into my desk. This one must have fallen to the floor either then or later, and was swept out. Perhaps the other half may still be there, Minnie! Will you go with me around to the school now? The sooner this strange thing is cleared up the better."
"If you say so, I'll be glad to go, Frank. But it's enough for me to hear you say that it was not intended to warn Helen against me," she replied, smiling up through her tears.
"Wait and see the proof first," laughed Frank.
They reached the high school building in due time. Soggy, the janitor, was just about locking up, and upon hearing their request readily allowed them to enter. Going straight to his desk, Frank fumbled around inside eagerly, and then with an exclamation of triumph drew out something.
"There, look!" he exclaimed, as he fitted the ragged edges of the two pieces of paper together on the top of the desk. "You see they match perfectly. Now read out loud what I was writing to my sister that day, and changed my mind, intending to talk with her when we got home."
And Minnie read this:
HELEN
Don't believe all you hear. In the first place it's
nonsense to think that you could expect the truth
from one so shallow as Min erva Stone. I never liked her.
She may seem all right as a friend, but I'd advise you to have
little to do with her. She says one thing to your face and
another to your back. I'm afraid she's deceptive, and that's
about the meanest trait any girl can have. Bett er let your
new friendship gradually cool, and drop her altogeth er. Honestly,
to tell the truth, I think Minnie Cuthbert ought to be en ough
chum for you.
FRANK.
When she finished this she looked up at him with tear-steeped eyes.
"We're friends again once more, Minnie, are we not." he asked, smiling.