The result might well have been disastrous, as the wind was blowing toward the train.  Joel Rae saw it; saw that the time had come for a miracle if the little company of Saints was to be saved a serious rebuff.  He quickly entered his wagon and began to pray.  He prayed that the Lord might avert this calamity and permit the handful of faithful ones to proceed in peace to fashion His temple on earth.

When he began to pray there had been outside a woful confusion of sounds,—­scared and plunging horses, bellowing oxen, excited men shouting to the stock and to one another, the barking of dogs and the rattling of the wagons.  Through this din he prayed, scarcely hearing his own voice, yet feeling within himself the faith that he knew must prevail.  And then as he prayed he became conscious that these noises had subsided to a wonderful silence.  A moment this lasted, and then he heard it broken by a mighty shout of gladness, followed by excited calls from one man to another.

He looked out in calm certainty to observe in what manner the Lord had consented to answer his petition.  He saw that the wind had veered and, even as he looked, large drops of rain came pounding musically upon his wagon-cover.  Far in front of them a long, low line of flame was crawling to the west, while above it lurid clouds of smoke rolled away from them.  In another moment the full force of the shower was upon them from a sky that half an hour before had been cloudless.  Far off to the right scurried the Indians, their feathery figures lying low upon the backs of their small ponies.  His heart swelled within him, and he fell again to his knees with many earnest words of thanksgiving for the intercession.

They at once made camp for the night, and by Brigham’s fire later in the evening Joel Rae confided the truth of his miracle to that good man, taking care not to utter the words with any delight or pride in himself.  He considered that Brigham was unduly surprised by the occurrence; almost displeased in fact; showing a tendency to attribute the day’s good fortune to phenomena wholly natural.  Although the miracle had seemed to him a small, simple thing, he now felt a little ashamed of his performance.  He was pleased to note, however, that Brigham became more gracious to him after a short period of reflection.  He praised him indeed for the merit which he seemed to have gained in the Lord’s sight; taking occasion to remind him, however, that he, Brigham, had meant to produce the same effects by a prayer of his own in due time to save the train from destruction; that he had chosen to wait, however, in order to try the faith of the Saints.

“As a matter of fact, Brother Joel,” he concluded, “I don’t know as there is any limit to the power with which the Lord has blessed me.  I tell you I feel equal to any miracle—­even to raising the dead, I sometimes think—­I feel that fired up with the Holy Ghost!”

“I am sure you will do even that, Brother Brigham.”  And the young man’s eyes swam with mingled gratitude and admiration.  He resolved in his wagon that night, that when the time came for another miracle, he would not selfishly usurp the honour of performing it.  He would not again forestall the able Brigham.