Even though his thoughts are of going after Elmira, July instead begins to
help around the ranch. That day, he, Clara, and Cholo geld fifteen young
horses, and July begins to feel stronger. However, he later places his
rifle on the porch and has every intention of taking off to find Elmira
again, when Clara suddenly places the baby in his arms. She tells him
that this little baby needs him much more than Elmira does. She screams
at him to stay there with them, because he doesn't really know his wife
at all. Then, when the baby begins to cry, Clara goes back into the house,
telling July to sing to him to calm him down. The only song he can remember
is an old saloon song, but he begins to sing it anyway. Ironically, the
name of the song is Lorena. The baby stops crying and watches July with
a solemn little face. It's enough to stop him from leaving right then,
but he still feels not going would just be giving up. Clara tells him
later that night that it doesn't do to sacrifice for people unless they
want you to.
Clara's intentions seem to be working for July's benefit, but in reality,
she has become attached to the baby and needs to find a way to make him
stay. However, even though her intentions are somewhat false, her advice
is not. Elmira will never want him and he needs to realize that before
he follows her into danger.
The action returns to the Hat Creek Company where the hands only have minds for Ogallala and the whores they can buy there. Soon, Deets returns to camp to tell them that they are only ten miles from the Platte River and so quite close to Ogallala. Even though he brings happy news, Deets seems as subdued as he has been since Jake was hung. When Call questions him about his mood, Deets tells him that he doesn't like the north - the light's too thin. Call is worried about this comment, because he has noticed a look in Deets' eyes like an animal stares before it dies. When Call mentions his concern to Gus, he tells him that Deets has extra sensitivity and that who knows? He might know that they're all going to be killed by Indians before too long.
Gus, however, is more concerned with how agitated Lorena is. She won't be
comforted by Gus' comments that Clara will be no threat to her. And although
he has grown deeply fond of her, he feels a yearning to be loose again
and have nothing to do but win at cards. He talks to Deets about what
he would have if he could have what he really wanted. Deets tells him
he's want to be back on the Rio Grande and their old ranch. This conversation
comes to an end when US Calvary soldiers ride up to the herd. The two
men who speak to Call and Gus are Captain Weaver and his scout, Dixon.
Weaver assumes, because he is prejudiced, that they're lost, because their
scout is a nigger. Call becomes annoyed by the comment and emphasizes
that Deets is a black man. Then, Weaver tries to forcibly requisition
the Company's horses. Call looks over the men Weaver has with him and
sees no threat, because they're all exhausted and their horses are skinny.
So Call refuses Weaver's orders, and Weaver warns him if he sees him in
town, he'll box his ears.
This chapter is full of foreshadowing. First, Deets exhibits symptoms of a man about to die, which will come true in the near future. Call says that he probably has a premonition of all their deaths at the hands of some Indians, but the truth is only Deets will be killed by an Indian. Finally, Weaver threatens to box their ears if he sees them in town, which will come true for Newt when Weaver later tries to take his and Dish Boggett's horses in Ogallala.
The character of Weaver is an odious one, but it will serve to reveal the
inner nature of Captain Call. Call has a great deal of respect for Deets
and is annoyed that anyone would call him a nigger. Furthermore, he sees
by the condition of his men and his horses that Weaver is not a very good
leader and that annoys him as well. Finally, when Weaver later makes good
on his threat and begins to beat up Newt in Ogallala, Call will come to
the boy's defense in a way a good father would.
That afternoon, the herd crosses the Platte River and turns northwest toward Ogallala. Gus decides along with the hands to go into town and tries to convince Lorena to go with him to pick out some pretty dresses. However, she refuses, because she's afraid he just wants to find a whore and doesn't really want her. Gus carries on, but feels rather strange as he lopes toward town, because it hits him just how much he misses Jake Spoon. Gus thinks he was a fine companion right about supper time. He also thinks about Clara and whether he would be smarter not to see her and just head right on into Montana. Lorena has proved to be sweeter than any woman he has known, and he ought to leave the past be.
When he gets to town, he persuades a dress shop to remain open long enough
for him to buy Lorie a whole new wardrobe. Then, he finds the best saloon
he can and sits down for a drink. He is approached by a middle-aged gambler
who says his name is Shaw. He suggests they have a game, but Gus isn't
interested in one with only two players. Just then, the door opens and
a young girl, painted up like a whore, enters and walks toward their table.
Her name is Nellie and Shaw tells her to away, because they are trying
to get a game of cards to together. Instead, she offers herself to Gus
upon which Shaw cuffs her across the face. He tells Gus he hit her, because
she's a tart, and he won't have her interfering in his pleasure. Gus
reacts by offering a chair beside him to Nellie and telling Shaw to go
away, because he won't play cards or drink with a man who hits women.
Shaw warns Nellie that she'll get a beating she'll never forget if she
interferes with him again. At that, Gus hits Shaw so hard he knocks him
back into the next table. After Shaw leaves, Nellie explains that he's
Rosie's husband, and she works for Rosie. Rosie has sent her out to work,
but Shaw always runs her off, because he doesn't like his wife. Gus gives
her twenty dollars to bribe Shaw not to beat her and then takes a bottle
of his own and leaves. When he gets home, Lorena is sitting outside the
tent waiting, because she's afraid the other woman will take him. Gus
refuses to discuss it, talking instead about the beauty of the moon and
the gift of singing. Lorie is annoyed that he won't reassure her and thinks
it would be better if they were both killed. At least then, she wouldn't
have to be alone.
In this chapter, we see how Gus treats and loves women. He wants to buy Lorie a whole new wardrobe and tries to get her to go with him. She refuses, but he never holds it against her. Once in town, he does buy her all those clothes, because he is truly fond of her. Then, when Nellie, one of the town whores, is mistreated by Shaw, he stands up for her by hitting the man and giving her money to bribe him. Finally, when he returns to the tent, even though Lorie only wants to talk about her fear of losing him, he instead tries to find a way to calm her by talking about the beauty he sees in the world. Reinforcing the basic goodness of Gus' character at this point prepares the reader for the tragedy of his death later in the novel.
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on A Long Way Gone".
TheBestNotes.com.
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