CHAPTER XVII.
A DESOLATE HOME AND A DESOLATE PEOPLE.
As Gretchen was hurrying home on the evening after these exciting scenes,she met Mrs. Woods in the trail, and she saw at a glance that herfoster-mother was in great distress.
"O Gretchen," she said, "I am so glad that you have come--you are all thatis left to me now! I am all alone in the world! Have you heard it,Gretchen?"
"What, mother?"
"Husband is drowned!"
Mrs. Woods seized the arm of the girl, and the two helpless women hurriedtoward their rude home, each to relate to the other a scene of distress,and each to wonder what the wide future had in store for them.
They held each other by the hand, and talked in the open door of thecabin. Then they went in and ate a simple meal of milk and berries, andlay down and slept the sleep of sorrow.
At the early light they awoke. Almost the first words that Gretchen spokewere: "Let us face life and be fearless. I have faith. My father hadfaith, and my mother lived by faith. It was faith that led them across thesea. Their faith seemed to be unfulfilled, but it will be fulfilled in me.I feel it. Mother, let trouble pass. We belong to the family of God."
"You are a comfort to me, Gretchen. I can not see my way--it is covered."
"But you can trust your Guide, mother, and the end of trust _is_ peace."
"What are we to do, Gretchen?"
"I will go to Walla Walla and seek the advice of Mrs. Spaulding."
"Gretchen, don't you think that the schoolmaster is a good man?"
"Yes, I am sure that he is."
"I am. Let us go to him and follow his advice. We will go together."
They agreed to make the visit on the following day in the morning, beforeschool.
Gretchen told her foster-mother the story of the Indian pony.
"Where is he now?" asked Mrs. Woods.
"I left him in the clearing. I will go and find him."
"I will go with you," said Mrs. Woods.
The two went out together. They came to the clearing--a place of wavinggrass, surrounded with gigantic trees, in whose tops were great nests ofbirds. The pony was not there.
"He has gone to the next clearing," said Gretchen.
They passed through a strip of wood to another clearing. But the pony wasnot there.
As they were returning, a little black animal crossed their path.
Mrs. Woods said, "Hold!" then called out in a kindly voice, "Roll over."The little animal rolled head over heels in a very comical way, then ranquickly into the thick bushes. It was the last time that Mrs. Woods eversaw little Roll Over, and Gretchen never saw the pony again. The latterprobably found a herd of horses and wandered away with them. It was a timeof such confusion and distress that the matter did not awaken the interestof the Indians at that time.
That evening they talked of plans for the future.
"Let us seek work in one of the missionary stations," said Gretchen, "orlet us find a home among the Indians themselves. I want to become ateacher among them, and I know that they would treat you well."
Mrs. Woods's views on these matters were changing, but something of herold distrust and prejudice remained despite her good resolutions.
"Foxes and geese were never made to hold conference meetings together. Youcan't make one man out of another if you try."
"But, mother, your English ancestors once wandered about in sheep-skins,and worshiped the oaks; the whole English race, and the German race, weremade what they are by teachers--teachers who gave themselves to a causealmost two thousand years ago."
"Yes, I suppose that is so. But, Gretchen, I want your heart; I neverthought that you would give it to the Injuns. I ought not to be so ruledby my affections; but, if I do scold you, there is something in you thatdraws my heart toward you all the time. I believe in helping others;something good in the future always comes of it. If men would be good toeach other, Heaven would be good to the world. It is the things done herein this world that are out of order, and I never was on very good termswith myself even, not to say much of the world. But you have helped me,Gretchen, and hymns have helped me. I want you to be charitable toward myfeelins', Gretchen, when I grow old, and I pray that you will always betrue to me."
"I shall always be true to you, whatever I may be called to do. I shallnot leave you until you give your consent. One day you will wish me to doas I have planned--I feel it within me; something is leading me, and ourhearts will soon be one in my plan of life."
"It may be so, Gretchen. I have had a hard time, goin' out to service whenI was a girl. My only happy days were during the old Methody preaching ofJason Lee. I thought I owned the heavens then. It was then I married, andI said to husband: 'Here we must always be slaves, and life will be masterof us; let us go West, and own a free farm, and be masters of life.' Thereis a great deal in being master of life. Well, we have had a hard time,but husband has been good to me, and you have made me happy, if I havescolded. Gretchen, some people kiss each other by scoldin'; I do--I scoldto make the world better. I suppose everything is for the best, afterall. There is no experience in life that does not teach us something, andthere is a better world beyond that awaits all who desire a better life.Our desires are better than ourselves--mine are. Good desires are prayers,and I think that they will all be answered some day."
She sat in silence, thinking of her lonely situation, of her ignorance andimperfection, of her often baffled struggles to do well in this world andto overcome her poor, weak self, and she burst into tears.
"Play," she said. "Music is a kind of prayer." And Gretchen touched themusical glasses.