He knew that Lee, whom the Bishops had promised a crown of glory for his work that day, had gone to Salt Lake City and made a confidential report to Brigham; that Brigham had at first professed to regard the occurrence as unfortunate for the Church, though admitting that no innocent blood had been shed; that he had sworn Lee never to tell the story again to any person, instructing him to make a written report of the affair to himself, as Indian agent, charging the deed to the Indians.  He was said to have added on this point, after a period of reflection, “Only Indians, John, don’t save even the little children.”  He was reported to have told Lee further, on the following day, that he had asked God to take the vision from his sight if the killing had been a righteous thing, and that God had done so, thus proving the deed in the sight of heaven to have been a just vengeance upon those who had once made war upon the Saints in Missouri.

With these and with many another disjointed memory of the day Joel Rae was cursed; of how Hamblin the following spring had gathered a hundred and twenty skulls on the ground where the wolves had left them, and buried them again; of how an officer from Camp Floyd had built a cairn on the spot and erected a huge cross to the memory of the slain; of how the thing became so dire in the minds of those who had done it, that more than one man lost his reason, and two were known to have killed themselves to be rid of the death-cries of women.

But the clearest of all among the memories of the day itself was the prayer offered up as they stood amid the heaps of fresh earth, after they had sworn the oath of secrecy; how God had been thanked for delivering the enemy into their hands, and how new faith and better works were promised to Him for this proof of His favour.

The memory of this prayer stayed with him many years:  “Bless Brother Brigham—­bless him; may the heavens be opened unto him, and angels visit and instruct him.  Clothe him with power to defend Thy people and to overthrow all who may rise against us.  Bless him in his basket and in his store; multiply and increase him in wives, children, flocks and herds, houses and lands.  Make him very great to be a lawgiver and God to Thy people, and to command them in all things whatsoever in the future as in the past.”

Nor did he forget that, soon after he had listened to this prayer, and the forces had dispersed, he had made two discoveries;—­first, that his hair was whitening; second, that he could not be alone at night and keep his reason.

CHAPTER XIX.

The Host of Israel Goes forth to Battle

He went north in answer to the call for soldiers.  He went gladly.  It promised activity—­and company.