Nelly went with her as far as the foot of the stairs to get her shoes, for her feet were now growing very cold. Then she returned to the garret, but nothing more had been seen of the squirrel when Bessie appeared with her mother.
"It was here, just here, that it went out of sight," cried Bessie; "somewhere by these blocks and this old fire-board."
Her mother laughed, and said if there were nothing worse than a squirrel in the house, she should be glad.
"We must look," she added, "and perhaps we can discover its nest; that is, if it has one here, for, Bessie, it has just occurred to me that this is the way your Madeira nut disappeared. If we can find the nest we may find your money too," and she began to move out the furniture from the wall.
At the mention of the Madeira nut, Bessie colored deeply, and really seemed struck with true shame.
"Oh, mother," she said, "to think that I have never, all this while, cleaned out that drawer! Some of the nuts are still in it, and the other things too, just as they were that day when I lost my money. I have meant to clear it out so many times!"
Her mother turned and looked at her sorrowfully.
"Bessie," she said, "I have for years done all I could do, to make a careful, neat little girl, out of a careless, untidy one. I am beginning now to leave you to yourself, hoping that time will help you to see yourself as others see you. I have noticed often that your drawer remained in the same condition, but I did not speak of it."
"Oh, mother," cried Bessie, frightened, "don't leave me to myself, don't. I shall never learn to be good at all, that way. Oh, don't give me up yet."