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Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Summary

North of San Antonio the country opens and the going eases. With no cook since Bolivar left, Augustus makes breakfast to suit himself and scrambles the eggs, to the daily disgust of Dish. Riding toward Austin to hire a cook, Augustus abruptly turns aside to a spring-fed creek in a grove of live oaks and sits weeping — this is Clara's orchard, where they picnicked, and where she refused him because he might one day try to make her do something she didn't want. He tells Call it was the great mistake of his life, and that he was happiest there. He also says flatly that Newt is Call's son, that anyone with an eye can see it, and that Maggie told him so; Call refuses the subject. They find Lorena camped alone — Jake has been gone to Austin two days and left saying he wasn't coming back. Augustus stops off with her; Call rides on, and the Hell Bitch throws him on the way.

Analysis

Two disclosures in one ride. Augustus weeps at Clara's orchard, fixing the location that will dictate the novel's final three hundred pages; then he tells Call outright that Newt is his son. Both plots receive their destination here, six hundred pages before either arrives.

Plates

North of San Antonio the mesquite thins and the country opens; the herd grazes north so slowly Newt feels it will take forever to get out of Texas.
00 North of San Antonio the mesquite thins and the country opens; the herd grazes north so slowly Newt feels it will take forever to get out of Texas.
At night around the campfire there are always Indian stories being told, mostly by Mr. Gus.
01 At night around the campfire there are always Indian stories being told, mostly by Mr. Gus.
Almost every night the Captain catches the Hell Bitch and rides away from the company, out where he can sniff the wind.
02 Almost every night the Captain catches the Hell Bitch and rides away from the company, out where he can sniff the wind.
Breakfast — Augustus pours the eggs into a big skillet and scrambles them while Dish Boggett watches helplessly.
03 Breakfast — Augustus pours the eggs into a big skillet and scrambles them while Dish Boggett watches helplessly.
On the wagon trail to Austin, Augustus suddenly swings his horse north — "I just remembered something" — and lopes off without another word.
04 On the wagon trail to Austin, Augustus suddenly swings his horse north — "I just remembered something" — and lopes off without another word.
Clara's orchard — Gus stops old Malaria on the hill above the live oaks and the little pool, and Call rides up to find him with tears on his cheeks.
05 Clara's orchard — Gus stops old Malaria on the hill above the live oaks and the little pool, and Call rides up to find him with tears on his cheeks.
Gus sits five minutes without a word while Call gets down to pass the time; then Gus wipes his eyes with a bandanna and takes off his hat to let his head cool.
06 Gus sits five minutes without a word while Call gets down to pass the time; then Gus wipes his eyes with a bandanna and takes off his hat to let his head cool.
Three miles from the grove they spot a little camp at the foot of a limestone bluff; Call can make out only the horses and the pack mule, but Augustus says at once that it is Lorie, resting by a tree.
07 Three miles from the grove they spot a little camp at the foot of a limestone bluff; Call can make out only the horses and the pack mule, but Augustus says at once that it is Lorie, resting by a tree.
Lorena sits under the tree with her hair still wet from the pool and a bruise below one eye, telling them Jake has been gone two days and said he wasn't coming back.
08 Lorena sits under the tree with her hair still wet from the pool and a bruise below one eye, telling them Jake has been gone two days and said he wasn't coming back.
Riding on alone toward Austin, Call is thrown by the Hell Bitch between one stride and the next, and holds her by a wrap of rein around his hand.
09 Riding on alone toward Austin, Call is thrown by the Hell Bitch between one stride and the next, and holds her by a wrap of rein around his hand.