The Lord would make them prevail; the living God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, would hold them up.

And battle must be given for another reason, though he hardly dared let that reason be plain to himself.

For only by continuing the war, only by giving actual battle to armed soldiers, by fighting to the end if need be--only so could that day in Mountain Meadows be made to appear as anything but--he shuddered and could not name it.

Even if actual war were to be fought on and on for years, he believed that day could hardly be justified; but at least it could be made in years of fighting to stand less horribly high and solitary.

They must fight, he thought, even if it were to lose all.