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Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Summary

Ten days in, Lorena has worked out that Jake is more attached to her than she is to him, and that he is the one needing care. She resolves to hold him to San Francisco. Then Augustus walks into the empty saloon and asks, flatly, to buy a poke. Lorena protests that she is with Jake; Augustus answers that Jake takes care of nobody, that he is the world's child, and that Call has him branding cattle and will keep him there. He pays Lippy ten dollars for his silence, offers Lorena fifty, and when she refuses proposes cutting the cards — she keeps the money either way. He wins with the queen of hearts, and she is fairly sure he cheated. Afterwards, comfortable rather than ashamed, she tells him she means to hold Jake to his promise and will go with the herd if it comes to that. Augustus says she is welcome as far as he is concerned; the problem will be Call.

Analysis

Augustus's least defensible act, and the novel refuses to soften it. He is also correct in everything he says: Jake is the world's child, Lorena does the caring. Accurate judgment delivered by a man behaving badly — the book's characteristic double move.

Plates

Ten days in, Lorena watches Jake sleep after a root and realises she is not excited about him the way she was on the first day.
00 Ten days in, Lorena watches Jake sleep after a root and realises she is not excited about him the way she was on the first day.
With the Hat Creek outfit gathering cattle, drifting cowboys fill the saloon at night and keep Lippy busy at the keyboard, pounding out every song requested.
01 With the Hat Creek outfit gathering cattle, drifting cowboys fill the saloon at night and keep Lippy busy at the keyboard, pounding out every song requested.
Xavier, cheered by the new custom until he works out it will last a fortnight, stands by the door most of the night with his washrag dripping down his leg.
02 Xavier, cheered by the new custom until he works out it will last a fortnight, stands by the door most of the night with his washrag dripping down his leg.
Jake teaches Lorena things about card playing she didn't know, while Dish Boggett sits solemn behind his big moustache, unable to stop being in love with her.
03 Jake teaches Lorena things about card playing she didn't know, while Dish Boggett sits solemn behind his big moustache, unable to stop being in love with her.
The hands argue about the rivers ahead — Needle Nelson swears nothing will drown him, Jasper Fant predicts most of them will, and Bert Borum announces he is getting himself a float.
04 The hands argue about the rivers ahead — Needle Nelson swears nothing will drown him, Jasper Fant predicts most of them will, and Bert Borum announces he is getting himself a float.
On a blistering day with the saloon empty but for Lippy and Xavier gone fishing, Augustus walks in soaked through with sweat, gets a bottle from behind the bar and brings two glasses.
05 On a blistering day with the saloon empty but for Lippy and Xavier gone fishing, Augustus walks in soaked through with sweat, gets a bottle from behind the bar and brings two glasses.
Gus hangs his hat on a chair, pours her a whiskey, and says he wants a poke — as casual as asking to borrow two bits; Lorena sits stumped, and Lippy listens with his lip hanging.
06 Gus hangs his hat on a chair, pours her a whiskey, and says he wants a poke — as casual as asking to borrow two bits; Lorena sits stumped, and Lippy listens with his lip hanging.
Gus buys Lippy's silence for ten dollars, with a promise to shoot another hole in his stomach if he betrays it, and Lippy pockets the money knowing he had better keep the bargain.
07 Gus buys Lippy's silence for ten dollars, with a promise to shoot another hole in his stomach if he betrays it, and Lippy pockets the money knowing he had better keep the bargain.
They cut for it — she turns a ten of spades, he turns the queen of hearts, and she is fairly sure he cheated, though she could not have said how.
08 They cut for it — she turns a ten of spades, he turns the queen of hearts, and she is fairly sure he cheated, though she could not have said how.
Afterwards, dressing and reaching for his hat, Gus tells her she is welcome to come on the drive as far as he is concerned — the problem will be Call.
09 Afterwards, dressing and reaching for his hat, Gus tells her she is welcome to come on the drive as far as he is concerned — the problem will be Call.