Perhaps the old woman was asleep somewhere.

On several occasions she had been found sleeping soundly when she should have been brushing out schoolrooms and mopping floors.

Anne was determined, however, to give one good, thorough search for her letter and she accordingly mounted to the floor where the freshmen class room was situated and entered the large, empty recitation room.
She looked long and carefully under the desks and benches, even going through the scrap baskets, but there was no sign of the letter.

Then she went into some of the other class rooms, but her search was unrewarded.
"What's the use ?" she asked herself at last.

"It's sure to have been destroyed.