Ephraim's Rescue Page #3

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perhaps several others, but today

is an exception, to be sure...

I'm really quite a good

swimmer, you should see.

I can get across in

no time, I'm sure.

Just not feeling very today.

I feel bad, I see

these other people.

I feel as though I

could help, but... oh!

That water is wet.

I'll see this across, sister.

Bless you, Captain.

Who will help us, Mommy?

The Lord helps those who

help themselves, Paul.

Now come about.

Let's be on with it.

Keep to your right! There are

deep holes on the left side!

Thank you so much.

It's awfully deep, and, um...

Really, you did a great job.

I'm grateful to be across. Really,

bless you, brother. Thank you.

Steady on!

I did promise I would walk

every step of the way to Zion,

but I really don't

think rivers count.

I mean, it's awfully

deep and awfully wet,

and I just don't think

I would make it.

I mean, I am a pretty good

swimmer, but I don't...

Somebody... Hey!

Help!

Help!

Help us!

Somebody help them!

Save yourself or you'll

both be drowned!

We're drowning!

Here! Grab hold! Grab hold!

Leave him, let him

go into the water!

No! He is my son!

Father, I need thy help! Father!

Under the bank!

She's over here!

I bear witness to each of you

this day that God lives!

He protected and

saved me son and me.

Without his help, we would

now be drowned in the water.

Any and all who hear my voice know

that a miracle has

come to pass this day

before your very eyes.

I brought you a gift.

My mother says that if one rubs

these leaves into one's hands,

it will soften and heal them.

May I?

Is it working?

Yes.

For certain, it is working.

Brother Dobson.

He helped everyone he could.

Oh, Albert.

He's fine now, children.

He is right with the Lord.

Let me.

Please, allow me.

He gave everything for the gospel.

It was a pleasant enough

go for a few days,

though my wagon, full of

supplies for the handcarters,

was not the fastest

rig on the trail.

Then, still early in the season,

what Brigham prophesied came true.

To be on the trail in these conditions

meant we were all risking our lives.

Ephraim! Ephraim! Eph!

We're hunkering down here

'til she blows over!

We'll be here 'til spring!

Worthless! Utterly worthless!

Will do better without them at all!

Absolute tosh!

Are you leaving them?

Yes, I am leaving them.

May I have them, please?

They will do you no good. They

can't be made to stay afoot.

Take them, Elizabeth.

Thank you.

For soup.

What?

She wants to boil them and

make a broth for her family.

So it's come to this, has it?

That there is nothing more to eat

than a bit of disgusting broth

made from a stodgy boot?

What's her tale?

Elizabeth Bradshaw...

She's a marvelous sister.

She had two husbands

perish back home,

but she'll not give up

her hope to get to Zion.

When she was already onboard ship,

ready to sail from Liverpool,

her two wealthy

brothers came aboard

and told her not to take her

children to "those forsaken Mormons"

and such a despised place.

They promised that

if she would stay,

she would never yearn for

anything money could buy.

But she held her son close,

turned to her brothers and

said, "The gospel is true.

Joseph Smith is a prophet of God,

and we are going to Zion."

Sister Bradshaw knows, there are

possessions more precious than gold.

Reddick Allred had been assigned to

wait with supplies at South Pass

'til wagons could make it through.

You know what the worst

thing is about, uh...

Multiple wives?

being out here on the

trail all the time?

Chapped lips.

I can tell you how to fix that.

Pick up one of them horse

apples on the trail...

Rub it around your lips.

Sounds like an odd cure.

It won't cure 'em...

It'll sure keep you

from lickin' 'em.

Brothers! We're heading back!

Ain't no way there's a

company out in this.

Either they's stopped somewhere in

Nebraska, or they's dead of the cold.

Did you get word to go back?

Get word? How could we get word?

You gonna go, Eph?

Those of you with strength at all

cross back and help the others!

If you have any strength left at all,

please, go back and help the others!

If you can, please cross

back and help the others!

Just get yourself over, me boy.

Others have boots.

Just get yourself over.

Remember? The Lord

helped us last time?

Remember? We can do this.

Please?

I just need you to be

my big man, please?

Sister Bradshaw?

I was hoping your son would

assist me across the river.

What do you think of that?

Okay.

Thank you.

Brother Dobson, would you assist these

Saints up and out of the marshes?

Yes, Captain!

But first, I must see

the others across.

He is coming to help us.

Yes...

He is helping others.

Strange how lively

your thoughts become

after making a poor decision.

Did you get word to go back?

How could we get word?

You only think of

your precious self!

The Lord prepares each of us.

Keep your head, Eph!

Headed the wrong way, boys!

Goin' home. They's

either camped or dead.

How do you know that?

I'll make you a proposition.

There's a decent place to

camp just back a piece.

You wait there. We'll

go on and find them.

What makes you think you could

find them when we couldn't?

Brother Brigham sent me

to find these Saints,

and I'll find them or

I'll give my life trying.

We'll wait for ya, Arza.

Ephraim! Will you help them?

Yes.

I seek to do what's right.

Keep the fire goin', boys!

Arza! Dan!

Sometimes it's not which side of

the fork in the road to take,

it's which direction on the

road you ought to be headed.

Despite our prayers, Mother,

they are not getting better.

They are getting worse.

So it this the blessing of the

righteous which you speak of?

Please, Lord, we need Thy

help, and we need it now.

Or there will not be a

live one amongst us.

It wasn't long before our

wagon was snowbound.

We determined they would wait

for help, and I would move on.

Even on horse it'll be a tough go.

You can't move mountains while

you're sitting on your backside!

I saw what you did, helping

others across the river.

It was a really lovely thing to do.

Thomas, did you leave

a girl in England?

Yes.

Was she pretty?

Yes, she was...

Did you leave a boy in England?

Yes.

Was he... handsome?

No, he was quite plain, actually.

So I just tried not to

look at him too much.

Look at me.

Rally up! Move along now!

I'd best be off.

Ester...

I will keep an eye on you.

No, Thomas, I'll be fine.

You help the others.

Eph!

Eph, we found them!

It wasn't much later Joseph

A. Young and Abel Garr showed.

They had found the Martin

company at Red Buttes

and left several rescuers

there to aid them.

They were riding day and

night to get back and report

to Brother Brigham.

They hurried off, exhorting me to

find them and do what I could.

Their account of the deprivation

they saw startled me.

I knew those Saints

had no food left...

so I asked for a desire that

had been planted in my heart.

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