"'And what next?' I said.

"'By and by I heard a noise of quarrelling in the street, which came
nearer and nearer. The door was burst open by some one falling against it.
Blundering steps came up the stairs. The two who had robbed me, evidently
tipsy, were trying to unlock the door. At length they succeeded, and
tumbled into the room.'

"'Where is the unnatural wretch,' said the woman, 'who ran away and left
her own mother in poverty and sickness?'--

"'Oh! uncle, can it be that she is my mother?' said Chrissy, interrupting
herself.

"'I don't think she is,' answered Uncle Peter. 'She only wanted to vex
you, my lamb. But it doesn't matter whether she is or not.'

"'Doesn't it, uncle?--I am ashamed of her.'

"'But you are God's child. And He can't be ashamed of you. For He gave you
the mother you had, whoever she was, and never asked you which you would
have. So you need not mind. We ought always to like best to be just what
God has made us.'

"'I am sure of that, uncle.--Well, she began groping about to find me, for
it was very dark. I sat quite still, except for trembling all over, till I
felt her hands on me, when I jumped up, and she fell on the floor. She
began swearing dreadfully, but did not try to get up. I crept away to
another corner. I heard the man snoring, and the woman breathing loud.