History in Books the world's story, told by its literature

Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Summary

Wilbarger's bloodied bay turns up riderless on the north bank of the Arkansas, and the crossing goes badly — Dish's horse panics and nearly drowns him until Deets fights it off, and the herd splits into half a dozen swimming bunches. Deets backtracks the horse and finds Wilbarger shot three times and dying under the riverbank, asking for Augustus but adding that he shouldn't come if he's busy. Wilbarger names Dan Suggs, jokes about being born on the Hudson and dying on the Arkansas, leaves Augustus his Milton and his Virgil, and dies while Gus is briefly away. With no stone or wood on the plain, Deets fetches a buffalo cow's skull to mark the grave. Wilbarger's rifle goes to Newt. Riding out after the horsethieves, Augustus consoles the shaken boy with the thought that the whole earth is a boneyard — but pretty in the sunlight.

Analysis

Wilbarger dies as he lived — literate, blunt, unimpressed — and leaves Augustus his Virgil, a bequest between two men who both admit they can no longer read the Latin. The buffalo skull for a headstone states the theme; Augustus's boneyard speech to Newt then makes it explicit.

Plates

Wilbarger's riderless bay stands waiting on the north bank of the Arkansas, dried blood on the saddle and crusted in its mane.
00 Wilbarger's riderless bay stands waiting on the north bank of the Arkansas, dried blood on the saddle and crusted in its mane.
Dish Boggett's horse goes mad in midstream and nearly paws him under; Deets drives back into the water and fights the animal off long enough for Dish to reach the bank.
01 Dish Boggett's horse goes mad in midstream and nearly paws him under; Deets drives back into the water and fights the animal off long enough for Dish to reach the bank.
The line breaks and the herd splits into five or six bunches swimming downstream; Newt is carried two hundred yards and lands back on the bank he started from.
02 The line breaks and the herd splits into five or six bunches swimming downstream; Newt is carried two hundred yards and lands back on the bank he started from.
Deets leads the bloodied bay up to Call and Augustus — "Where's Mister Wilbarger, that he could afford to let his horse run loose?"
03 Deets leads the bloodied bay up to Call and Augustus — "Where's Mister Wilbarger, that he could afford to let his horse run loose?"
Deets comes back at midafternoon on a hard-ridden horse and draws rein — "I found the man. He's shot."
04 Deets comes back at midafternoon on a hard-ridden horse and draws rein — "I found the man. He's shot."
Augustus tells Lorena he has to go to the dying man; she begins to shake, afraid he will not come back.
05 Augustus tells Lorena he has to go to the dying man; she begins to shake, afraid he will not come back.
Camp at supper before the party rides out — Po Campo singing over the cooking while the worried hands sit, and Newt watching the Captain put two boxes of rifle shells into his saddlebag.
06 Camp at supper before the party rides out — Po Campo singing over the cooking while the worried hands sit, and Newt watching the Captain put two boxes of rifle shells into his saddlebag.
A little after sundown they reach Wilbarger, propped under the shade of the riverbank on Deets's blanket, and Augustus stoops over him and sees at once there is no hope.
07 A little after sundown they reach Wilbarger, propped under the shade of the riverbank on Deets's blanket, and Augustus stoops over him and sees at once there is no hope.
In full dark Wilbarger reaches out to shake hands and leaves Augustus his Milton and his Virgil, while behind them Pea Eye and Newt dig the grave.
08 In full dark Wilbarger reaches out to shake hands and leaves Augustus his Milton and his Virgil, while behind them Pea Eye and Newt dig the grave.
The buffalo cow's skull set on Wilbarger's grave at first light, with Newt carrying the dead man's rifle as they ride out after the horsethieves and Augustus tells him the whole earth is a boneyard.
09 The buffalo cow's skull set on Wilbarger's grave at first light, with Newt carrying the dead man's rifle as they ride out after the horsethieves and Augustus tells him the whole earth is a boneyard.