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Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Summary

Within a week of Ogallala the crew can talk of nothing but whores; Po Campo argues fruitlessly for the barbershop instead. Call notices Deets has gone quiet and keeps looking south — he says only that he does not like the north, the light is too thin, and that what he wants is to be back on the river. Then a cavalry troop appears: forty exhausted men under a drunk Captain Weaver, with an insolent scout named Dixon. They warn of Red Cloud, sneer at a black scout, and try to requisition the outfit's spare horses. Augustus needles them; Call refuses flatly, tells Weaver his troop is worn out and would be the ones massacred, and rides away. Dixon promises to box his ears if he sees him in town. Meanwhile Lorena, closer and closer to Clara's house, offers Gus her body out of fear, and cannot be reasoned out of the certainty that she will lose him.

Analysis

Two warnings issued and ignored. Deets says the light is too thin and he wants the river — the last statement of his own wishes he will make. Weaver and Dixon are introduced solely to be humiliated, planting the insult that detonates Call in Ogallala.

Plates

A week out from Ogallala, the hands stand around the night fire talking about nothing but whoring, and Newt and the Rainey boys listen.
00 A week out from Ogallala, the hands stand around the night fire talking about nothing but whoring, and Newt and the Rainey boys listen.
Po Campo, free of his cooking chores, argues at the wagon tailgate that the men should go to the barber instead of the whores.
01 Po Campo, free of his cooking chores, argues at the wagon tailgate that the men should go to the barber instead of the whores.
The long slow summer days on the flank of a placid herd, Ben Rainey riding over to Newt with a new speculation about what whores do.
02 The long slow summer days on the flank of a placid herd, Ben Rainey riding over to Newt with a new speculation about what whores do.
Late afternoon, Deets rides in to report the Platte is only ten miles ahead and the whole camp lets out a whoop.
03 Late afternoon, Deets rides in to report the Platte is only ten miles ahead and the whole camp lets out a whoop.
Call finds Deets sitting his horse looking back south across the miles they have come — "Don't like this north. The light's too thin."
04 Call finds Deets sitting his horse looking back south across the miles they have come — "Don't like this north. The light's too thin."
Call rides over to the tent in the evening to talk about Deets, and finds Gus sitting barefoot on a saddle blanket trimming his corns with a pocketknife.
05 Call rides over to the tent in the evening to talk about Deets, and finds Gus sitting barefoot on a saddle blanket trimming his corns with a pocketknife.
Inside the tent, Lorena — closer and closer to Clara's house, certain she will lose him — offers Gus the only thing she knows how to offer.
06 Inside the tent, Lorena — closer and closer to Clara's house, certain she will lose him — offers Gus the only thing she knows how to offer.
Next morning Augustus falls in beside Deets and asks him what he would have if he could have it — "Be back on the river" — and then the riders come over the ridge to the north.
07 Next morning Augustus falls in beside Deets and asks him what he would have if he could have it — "Be back on the river" — and then the riders come over the ridge to the north.
Weaver orders the lieutenant to go take the spare horses, and Augustus reaches down and catches the boy's bridle — "If you want them horses, why don't you go get 'em? You're the Captain."
08 Weaver orders the lieutenant to go take the spare horses, and Augustus reaches down and catches the boy's bridle — "If you want them horses, why don't you go get 'em? You're the Captain."
Back at the wagon, Call and Augustus watch the troop sit on the ridge, and then it turns and rides away.
09 Back at the wagon, Call and Augustus watch the troop sit on the ridge, and then it turns and rides away.