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Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Summary

Augustus gives Newt and the other three boys a ten-dollar gold piece each, thinking wistfully that he can never again stand where they stand. Lippy, having let slip Gus's fifty-dollar secret, tries to cover it by getting them drunk on beer and whiskey behind the livery stable, warning them that whores are rank and a man's pecker may come off in his hand. Pete Spettle backs out at the door, having promised his mother he'd save his money. Newt goes upstairs with the Buffalo Heifer, who takes his gold piece, soaps him so briskly that he finishes before he begins, and sends him on his way — and afterwards he thinks of Lorena, and of all those months at the Dry Bean. Ben Rainey complains about the price; Jimmy vomits. Riding out, their horses spook and scatter, and Newt walks the last two miles, falling asleep with a hunk of Po Campo's beef still in his hand.

Analysis

The comic counterweight to the anvil: Newt's initiation is brisk, soapy and over in a minute. Augustus's wistfulness at the stairs — he can never again stand where these boys stand — is the chapter's real note. Newt thinks of Lorena afterwards, and understands her differently.

Plates

After the fight, the boys stand around the bloody anvil explaining it to a freshly barbered Pea Eye while Augustus turns the loaded wagon in the street.
00 After the fight, the boys stand around the bloody anvil explaining it to a freshly barbered Pea Eye while Augustus turns the loaded wagon in the street.
Augustus flips a ten-dollar gold piece down to Newt from the wagon seat and hands the others theirs — a bonus, for a frolic before the far north.
01 Augustus flips a ten-dollar gold piece down to Newt from the wagon seat and hands the others theirs — a bonus, for a frolic before the far north.
Augustus drives the wagon out of Ogallala alone, wistful, knowing he can never again stand where the boys stand.
02 Augustus drives the wagon out of Ogallala alone, wistful, knowing he can never again stand where the boys stand.
The boys find Lippy outside the saloon, disgusted that the only piano in Ogallala has been busted by a mule skinner — and he lets slip that Gus once gave Lorena fifty dollars.
03 The boys find Lippy outside the saloon, disgusted that the only piano in Ogallala has been busted by a mule skinner — and he lets slip that Gus once gave Lorena fifty dollars.
Behind the livery stable with the beer and the quart of whiskey Lippy bought them, the four boys drink against the wall while the sun hangs red over the prairie and Jimmy Rainey vomits.
04 Behind the livery stable with the beer and the quart of whiskey Lippy bought them, the four boys drink against the wall while the sun hangs red over the prairie and Jimmy Rainey vomits.
Drunk and leading without meaning to, Newt reaches the top of the saloon's back stairs and finds the door ajar and a large shape standing in it.
05 Drunk and leading without meaning to, Newt reaches the top of the saloon's back stairs and finds the door ajar and a large shape standing in it.
In the bare upstairs hall Buf keeps Newt's gold piece and a hand on his shoulder, Mary leads Ben away, and Pete Spettle takes his hand back out of his pocket empty and turns for the door.
06 In the bare upstairs hall Buf keeps Newt's gold piece and a hand on his shoulder, Mary leads Ben away, and Pete Spettle takes his hand back out of his pocket empty and turns for the door.
In the small room afterwards — the lamp lit on the windowsill, his boots never off, the prairie still red at the rim — Newt buttons his pants and thinks of Lorena and all those months at the Dry Bean.
07 In the small room afterwards — the lamp lit on the windowsill, his boots never off, the prairie still red at the rim — Newt buttons his pants and thinks of Lorena and all those months at the Dry Bean.
Riding back to the herd, something spooks the horses in the bright moonlight — Newt and Ben are thrown and crouch with their pistols drawn, listening to their mounts run away.
08 Riding back to the herd, something spooks the horses in the bright moonlight — Newt and Ben are thrown and crouch with their pistols drawn, listening to their mounts run away.
Newt walks the last two miles into camp, where only Po Campo is awake, and falls asleep with the hunk of cold beef still in his hand.
09 Newt walks the last two miles into camp, where only Po Campo is awake, and falls asleep with the hunk of cold beef still in his hand.