She left the pony in a grassy clearing, on the trail that led to her home, and hurried toward the cabin to describe all the events of the day to her foster-mother.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote D:  See Notes.]

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 her foster-mother was in great distress.

“O Gretchen,” she said, “I am so glad that you have come—­you are all that is 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 hurried toward 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 the cabin.  Then they went in and ate a simple meal of milk and berries, and lay down and slept the sleep of sorrow.

At the early light they awoke.  Almost the first words that Gretchen spoke were:  “Let us face life and be fearless.  I have faith.  My father had faith, and my mother lived by faith.  It was faith that led them across the sea.  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, before school.

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 waving grass, surrounded with gigantic trees, in whose tops were great nests of birds.  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 was not 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 ran quickly into the thick bushes.  It was the last time that Mrs. Woods ever saw little Roll Over, and Gretchen never saw the pony again.  The latter probably found a herd of horses and wandered away with them.  It was a time of such confusion and distress that the matter did not awaken the interest of the Indians at that time.