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Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Summary

The morning after the storm finds Lorena's spirits high — she likes being outdoors after years of hot little rooms. Augustus rides in leading her recovered mare, cuts her bacon, and tells her she looks pretty as the morning; out in the open she finds him easier company than she ever did in the saloon. Jake returns from tracking in the wrong direction and resents finding Gus there again. When he announces they will stop a week in San Antonio to gamble, Lorena refuses — she does not go back to places. Jake slaps her in front of Augustus. She does not cry; she turns her back and goes to pack, privately glad of Xavier's hidden money. Augustus tells Jake he is the touchy one, and that if he tires of her sass, Gus will come and camp with her himself. Riding off, he tells Lorena to come find him by the dust if Jake ever leaves her.

Analysis

The triangle is set: Gus's ease, Jake's resentment, Lorena's refusal to be moved by either. The slap in front of Augustus is Jake's first public failure. Gus's parting line — come find me by the dust — is the promise the rescue will eventually keep.

Plates

Early morning after the storm — Lorena spreads the soaked gear over the trees and bushes to dry.
00 Early morning after the storm — Lorena spreads the soaked gear over the trees and bushes to dry.
Jake at the breakfast fire in sodden clothes, low-spirited and complaining that he hates to squish with every move he makes, the ruined flour and lumped salt in front of him.
01 Jake at the breakfast fire in sodden clothes, low-spirited and complaining that he hates to squish with every move he makes, the ruined flour and lumped salt in front of him.
Jake rides off down the river to look for Lorena's lost mare, hunting tracks in the wrong direction.
02 Jake rides off down the river to look for Lorena's lost mare, hunting tracks in the wrong direction.
Alone in camp, Lorena washes the mud off her legs in the river and lies down in the grass to nap, looking up at a perfectly clear sky after too many years of hot little rooms and ceilings.
03 Alone in camp, Lorena washes the mud off her legs in the river and lies down in the grass to nap, looking up at a perfectly clear sky after too many years of hot little rooms and ceilings.
Augustus rides into the muddy camp leading Lorena's recovered mare and asks whether there is any coffee left in the pot.
04 Augustus rides into the muddy camp leading Lorena's recovered mare and asks whether there is any coffee left in the pot.
Augustus cuts the bacon with his big clasp knife while Lorena bends over the fire to fry it, her face relaxed in a way he has never seen — "you look pretty as the morning."
05 Augustus cuts the bacon with his big clasp knife while Lorena bends over the fire to fry it, her face relaxed in a way he has never seen — "you look pretty as the morning."
Saying Jake couldn't track an elephant ten steps ahead of him, Augustus draws his pistol and fires two shots into the air to call him back.
06 Saying Jake couldn't track an elephant ten steps ahead of him, Augustus draws his pistol and fires two shots into the air to call him back.
Jake comes galloping into camp with his rifle in hand and finds Gus finishing the bacon, while Lorena goes bush to bush gathering the clothes the hot sun has already dried.
07 Jake comes galloping into camp with his rifle in hand and finds Gus finishing the bacon, while Lorena goes bush to bush gathering the clothes the hot sun has already dried.
Lorena says a second time that she will not go back to San Antonio, and Jake whips around and slaps her in front of Gus — she does not cry.
08 Lorena says a second time that she will not go back to San Antonio, and Jake whips around and slaps her in front of Gus — she does not cry.
Having told her to come find him by the dust if Jake ever runs off, Augustus swims the muddy river away from camp while Lorena watches from the bank beside the pack mule.
09 Having told her to come find him by the dust if Jake ever runs off, Augustus swims the muddy river away from camp while Lorena watches from the bank beside the pack mule.