Pilgrimage

The first hardcover book from Ann B. Ross, THE PILGRIMAGE, an adventure story set in the nineteenth century. It chronicles the adventures of the orphaned Heath sisters as they make their way along the perilous Oregon Trail in 1846, determined to reform the Indians or, at least, save their heathen souls. Irrepressible Emma Louise is a twelve-year-old tomboy with a keen mind and a razor-sharp wit to match. Jessie, a deeply religious seventeen-year-old beauty, possesses a unique talent for direct communication with her Maker, which leads to some unforeseen and often hilarious consequences. As two young women traveling without the benefit of male protection, they devise a seemingly ideal solution: with the aid of a haircut and some men's clothing, Emma's miraculous transformation into 'Emmett' is complete. Jessie's obsession with original sin takes on a new meaning with the appearance of handsome trapper J. C. Garrett.