first go home to the stone hut," and without a word she went with the
little one back to the silent cottage.

The proprietor of the Matten farm sent word to Elsbeth the following day
that he would do everything necessary for her husband, and so she need not
come until it was time for the service, for she would not recognize her
husband. He sent her some money in order that she would not have too much
care in the next few days, and promised to think of her later on.

Elsbeth did as he advised and remained at home until the bells in
Kandergrund rang for the service. Then she went to accompany her husband
to his resting place.

Sad and hard days came for Elsbeth. She missed her good, kind husband
everywhere, and felt quite lost without him. Besides, cares came now which
she had known little about before, for her husband had had his good, daily
work. But now she felt sometimes as if she would almost despair. She had
nothing but her goat and the little potato field behind the cottage, and
from these she had to feed and clothe herself and the little one, and
besides furnish rent for the little house.

Elsbeth had only one consolation, but one that always supported her when
pain and care oppressed her; she could pray, and although often in the
midst of tears, still always with the firm belief that the dear Lord would
hear her supplication.

When at night she had put little Toni in his tiny bed she would kneel down
beside him and repeat aloud the old hymn, which now came from the depths
of her heart, as never before: