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Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Summary

Montana proves everything Jake claimed: tall grass, yellow flowers, cold mornings, game everywhere, and skies deeper than any they have seen. An early snow falls one night and melts by noon. Call's spirits lift for the first time since Deets died; he means to push on past the Yellowstone and have the first ranch north of it. Augustus argues they should give the cattle to the Indians and follow their noses instead, and asks whether Call intends to stop before the polar bears. Riding scout together, Augustus tells Newt outright that Woodrow Call is his father — the reason he asked him along. He explains as best he can that Call likes to believe people live for duty, that he once had a chance to be like the rest and turned his back on it, and cannot now admit the wrong choice. Newt finds the news no relief at all: it spoils his mother, the Captain and Montana at once.

Analysis

Montana delivers on Jake's promise, and the arrival is immediately spent: Augustus tells Newt the truth on the same ride. The revelation lands as loss rather than gain — it retroactively spoils his mother, the Captain and the country — which is the novel's most unsentimental stroke.

Plates

The herd and the Hat Creek outfit ride up out of the barren Wyoming plain into Montana, sage and chalk giving way to tall grass and yellow flowers.
00 The herd and the Hat Creek outfit ride up out of the barren Wyoming plain into Montana, sage and chalk giving way to tall grass and yellow flowers.
Days riding beside the Bighorn Mountains, their peaks hidden in cloud, the cool air so clear the hands fall to arguing how many miles they can see.
01 Days riding beside the Bighorn Mountains, their peaks hidden in cloud, the cool air so clear the hands fall to arguing how many miles they can see.
Call and Augustus ride side by side arguing about how far north to go — Call means to cross the Yellowstone, Augustus asks whether he plans to stop before the polar bears.
02 Call and Augustus ride side by side arguing about how far north to go — Call means to cross the Yellowstone, Augustus asks whether he plans to stop before the polar bears.
An early storm blows out of the Bighorns; the men on night herd wrap blankets around themselves against the icy wind while snow falls.
03 An early storm blows out of the Bighorns; the men on night herd wrap blankets around themselves against the icy wind while snow falls.
Morning, thin snow over the plains — the Spettle boy is so astonished by it that he refuses to leave his blankets, lying wide-eyed and looking at the whiteness.
04 Morning, thin snow over the plains — the Spettle boy is so astonished by it that he refuses to leave his blankets, lying wide-eyed and looking at the whiteness.
At the breakfast fire — Pea Eye eating a handful of snow, the Rainey boys throwing snowballs at each other, and Newt shut out of the ring, barefoot, unable to get a place.
05 At the breakfast fire — Pea Eye eating a handful of snow, the Rainey boys throwing snowballs at each other, and Newt shut out of the ring, barefoot, unable to get a place.
Po Campo notices Newt fighting his boots over wet socks and comes over to sprinkle a little flour into them.
06 Po Campo notices Newt fighting his boots over wet socks and comes over to sprinkle a little flour into them.
The snow gone and the days hot again, Po Campo walks all day behind the wagon, followed by the pigs boring through the tall grass like moles.
07 The snow gone and the days hot again, Po Campo walks all day behind the wagon, followed by the pigs boring through the tall grass like moles.
Halted fifteen miles ahead of the herd with the cattle no more than black dots behind them, Augustus tells Newt that Woodrow Call is his father.
08 Halted fifteen miles ahead of the herd with the cattle no more than black dots behind them, Augustus tells Newt that Woodrow Call is his father.
Augustus puts the horses into a lope and the two of them run back over the grassy plains toward cattle that look tiny as ants — Newt glad only that at a lope he does not have to think as much.
09 Augustus puts the horses into a lope and the two of them run back over the grassy plains toward cattle that look tiny as ants — Newt glad only that at a lope he does not have to think as much.