"I think old Deets knowed his time was up." "He let that boy kill him." "Why did he have to die?" "He was just holding that baby." "He could've dropped it but didn't." "He just stood there." "I've seen your father bury many a man, but I've never known him to carve a sign before." "Let's see what he wrote." "What's it read, Gus?" "It says, "Josh Deets..." ""Served with me 30 years," ""fought in 21 engagements" ""with the Comanche and the Kiowa." ""Cheerful in all weathers..." ""Never shirked a task." ""Splendid behavior. "" "That's what it says." "My lord..." "Old Deets is gone." "My lord." "We ought to let them pigs ride in the wagon." "I never heard such a thing." "They made history, the first pigs to walk from Texas to Montana." "That's quite a feat." "What's it got them?" "A bear will probably eat them, or we will this wintertime." "Them rabbits and ducks you got there will make a fine meal, Pea Eye." "Seen some elk, too." "You seen any Indians?" "Nary a one." "You probably won't, neither." "Not until they..." "Lift your scalp." "Old Jake was right." "I never seen a prettier country than this." "Gus, I never thought I'd see so far." "There ain't nothing better than riding a fine horse into a new country." "That's exactly what me and Woodrow was meant for, though don't tell your pa I said that." "I keep him thinking he's a peck of trouble, so he don't get sassy." "He ain't mentioned it." "What?" "That he's my pa." "It wouldn't be his way to mention it." "See, Woodrow ain't much of a mentioner." "Gus, is it that he don't like me?" "No." "He just don't want to admit he's human like the rest of us, that's all." "He ain't human like the rest of us." "He had a chance once with your mama, but he let it go, and he won't admit his mistake." "That's why he's never admitted he's your pa, because it would be admitting that he's human, and he ain't never going to admit that, not to you, me," "not even to himself." "I'm glad you told me." "Well, I don't know what you can do with the information, but there it is." "Well, just knowing means something, I guess." "Sometimes it seems like grave digging is all we do around here, don't it, Cholo?" "What do you think happens when we die?" "Hmm, not too much." "You are just dead." "Maybe it's not as big a change as we think." "Maybe you just go back to where you lived or near your family or wherever you was happiest." "Only you're just a spirit now, and you don't have the troubles that the living have." "I don't know." "Maybe so." "Well..." "What you doing with those lard cans, Jasper?" "Making floats for when we hit that Yellowstone." "Floats?" "I ain't drowning in that last river." "Who says the Yellowstone is last?" "The Missouri's up there and then the Milk." "I'm only crossing one more river." "You'll cross 40 if Captain says." "Why do we keep going?" "Ain't we traveled enough?" "I'd like a town, myself." "It don't have to be St. Louis, long as it has a saloon." "I'd like to see my home again while the folks are still alive." "You know you're hired for life." "We'll probably all be bear crap in a week anyhow." "Well, I don't think that's funny." "Ready?" "Gus, how long you figure it'll take you to scout Yellowstone?" "A couple of days, probably, something like that." "So long, girls." "Don't let the Indians get you while we're gone." "You always got to joke, don't you?" "Who's joking?" "Pretty, ain't they?" "I reckon." "Let's chase them." "You want to?" "Shoot us one for our supper?" "No." "I mean chase them just for the sport of it." "What, to run them off?" "You don't get the point." "Chase them, because before long, there won't be any buffalo left to chase." "Them bulls will hook you." "Yeah." "Do you remember old man Barlow?" "That buffalo hooked him bad." "Old man Barlow was a slow thinker, kind of like somebody else I could name." "Well, he was a slow walker, too, when that buffalo got through with him." "What ever happened to him?" "He married a fat widow and had a passel of kids." "You could've done that, since you don't want to chase buffalo." "I wouldn't want to chase buffalo even if I was married." "Forget I even mentioned it." "Well, I like being a bachelor, Gus." "That's good, Pea Eye." "I'm sure it's all part of God's plan that you are one." "You all right?" "Hell, no, I ain't all right!" "Unh!" "I'm hit!" "Head for that creek down there!" "How many more you kill?" "Not but one." "Two." "They're going to surround us." "I guess we won't hear from them till dark now." "How is your shoulder?" "Well, it went clean through." "I don't like the idea of waiting around till dark." "Pea..." "Pull them out for me, would you?" "Oh, wait, Pea." "Jeez!" "Jesus!" "Whew." "All right, the other one." "It's in there deep." "Well, pull harder." "'I God!" "Oh, lord!" "It won't budge nary an inch, Gus." "Well..." "Push it on through then." "Go ahead, Pea, do it now." "Go on." "It won't go through." "Here..." "Cut it." "Cut the skin." "Come on." "Oh, Lord." "They're killing our horses." "This will have to do for now, Pea." "What Indians is it we're fighting anyhow?" "Well, they didn't introduce themselves." "Maybe they give up." "Yeah?" "They're trying to get lucky." "I don't know why we didn't stay in Texas." "We pretty near had the Indians whipped down there." "This is a bad piece of luck we're having, running into this little bunch of fighters." "Do you reckon we can hold them off till the Captain comes?" "Well, he won't miss us for a week." "I don't fancy squatting in the dirt that long." "You're going to have to go for help once it gets dark." "Go for help?" "Well, they might catch me." "Then what?" "Well..." "They'll probably start by cutting your cojones off." "Shh, listen." "Maybe I spooked them a little bit." "They probably never heard Comanche before." "You, too." "Oh... jeez." "It's going to be night shortly." "Yeah." "They're going to try sneaking up on us in the dark, ain't they, Gus?" "Be taking a chance if they do, a couple of sharpshooters like us." "I ain't no sharpshooter." "I usually miss if I ain't got time to take careful aim." "'I God, but it's... depressing to talk to you, Pea." "You smell something?" "Yeah..." "Rain." "You feeling poorly, Gus?" "Yeah." "I'm..." "I'm starting to get the chills, I am." "Four hours ago, a frog could have waded across this creek." "Now look at it." "It might give us the chance we need." "Float right by them." "Get on back to the herd for help." "I ain't going to leave you." "Oh... well..." "Not like this." "I can't walk, and you can't carry me." "It's our only chance." "You reckon..." "You can hold out a spell?" "Well, I've got a day or two left in me, I believe." "Now, you better get started." "Now..." "Tell Woodrow... to come a-runnin'." "I will." "What if I get lost?" "Just head south." "South?" "South." "That way yonder." "If you see a polar bear, you went the wrong way." "Now go." "Pea Eye, duck!" "Uh..." "Go!" "Go!" "Why, Deets..." "Yeah." "Yeah." "I'm a-comin', Deets." "Wait for me, Deets." "Just..." "I'm a-comin'." "Deets..." "Deets..." "You intend to stab me with that knife?" "About to have a go at that rotten leg before you woke up." "It's ruined." "Indians." "Blood Indians." "Bought a lot of beaver from them." "Beats all they didn't kill you." "They give it a good try." "I'm Hugh Auld." "Down Miles City, they call me old Hugh, though I doubt I'm 80 yet." "Augustus McCrae." "If I had a saw, I'd take that leg off." "If that rot gets in the other one, you'll lose them both." "You'll have to scoot around on your ass." "How far is Miles City?" "Say 40 mile." "Any doctors there?" "Two." "Both of them drunkards." "I don't believe you're going to walk no 40 mile, Augustus." "I might fool you." "I just might... fool you." "Got yourself a bad back?" "My deadfall fell over on me." "Indians found me." "Thought it was funny." "Back never did straighten out." "We all have our misfortunes." "You ride my horse." "You won't get a mile walking on that rotten leg." "I appreciate it." "Where you from, anyhow?" "Little fart of a town down in south Texas called Lonesome Dove." "You're a traveling son of a bitch, ain't you?" "Was, I'm afraid." "Thank you." "Scoot me up on the horse..." "With my left leg." "Whoa, there." "Lift me." "Whoa, there." "Captain!" "Pea... where's Gus?" "Creek's up." "That's why I lost my clothes." "Where's Deets?" "I guess you just missed him." "Where's Gus?" "Creek's up." "I had to swim." "And all them Indians." "And then old Deets found me." "But where's Deets?" "Run, get that wagon." "I'm going after Gus." "Dish, you're in charge." "Keep them cattle headed north." "Yes, sir." "Captain..." "You don't want nobody with you?" "No." "Good God." "Here we are in Montana." "There's Indians and bears, and winter's coming on." "Now the Captain and Gus are both gone." "It will be a wonder if we don't all get massacred." "Hey, Mister!" "What are you doing..." "just a-sittin' there?" "Come in here and buy us a drink." "We're broke as old grandma." "What's the matter with you?" "You a-sleepin'?" "Why..." "He is a-sleepin', isn't he?" "Sleeping, hell." "Looky here at this leg." "I'm Augustus McCrae..." "of the Texas Rangers." "Oh!" "Not so loud." "Not so loud." "My bandages are leaking." "I can see that." "Ah, there, now." "Fresh bandages." "Hope you didn't throw my leg away." "I may make a walking stick out of the bone." "You're a man of spirit." "That's good." "I fear you've a few fractuosities yet to endure." "A few what?" "Got to take that other leg off." "Should have done it while you were unconscious." "But the fact is, this one exhausted me." "If you'd hacked them both off, I'd have shot you dead." "Well, I can understand your attachment to your own appendages, sir." "But the fact of it is, you'll die if we don't take it off." "Who's playing the piano?" "She does play beautifully, doesn't she?" "They say..." "She studied music in Philadelphia when she was younger." "Name's Dora." "Go get me some more whiskey." "There's money in my pants there." "Is she a whore?" "Of course she's a whore." "Consumptive, too." "She'll never see Philadelphia again, I fear." "Give her $20, and..." "Tell her to keep on playing." "You ain't getting my other leg, sawbones, if that's what you're a-thinkin'." "I assure you, sir, the alternative is gloomy." "You seem to have a feeling for music." "Why don't you give yourself a few more years of listening to whores play the piano." "Why don't you shut up and go get my whiskey?" "I should operate today..." "Within the hour, in fact." "I could have that leg off in 15 minutes." "No, sir." "Don't forget to tip that whore for me." "Well, slow but sure." "Took you long enough to get here, Woodrow." "I told him it should come off." "We could still take it off." "No, sir." "You wouldn't kill me for trying to save your life." "No, but I'll darn sure disable you." "You don't boss me, Woodrow." "I'm the one man you don't boss." "I never figured you for a suicide, Gus." "What do you want legs for anyway?" "You don't like to do nothing but sit on the porch and drink whiskey." "I like to kick a pig every once in a while." "How would I do that?" "It's much too late now." "I wouldn't bother him about it anymore." "Pour us a drink, Woodrow." "Arguing with you makes me thirsty." "I'll leave you now." "Why don't you relax?" "You can't save me." "You ain't gonna become a drunkard over this, are ya?" "No." "Go ahead and die if you want to." "I don't care." "You act like you hold it against me." "I've walked this earth my whole life with my pride, you see." "Now, if that's lost, then let the rest be lost with it, because there's certain things my vanity won't abide." "Your goddamn vanity." "I guess you'll want a fancy funeral, too." "I've been thinking of that." "I have a favor to ask of you, and then I'll do you a favor in return." "What favor?" "I want you to bury me down yonder in Clara's orchard." "Clara's orchard." "I don't recall seeing she had one." "Remember that grove of pecans by the creek we stopped at in Texas?" "Back in Texas?" "You want me to haul you back to Texas?" "We just got to Montana." "I know where we just got to, Woodrow." "I'm dying here." "Well..." "I imagine Clara would be glad to give you a place in her little family cemetery" "if that would make you feel better." "You'd bury me next to that dumb horse trader she married?" "Just throw me out the window!" "Texas." "Yes, Texas." "That's your favor to me, and that's my favor to you, too." "It's a reason to go off on another adventure, so you don't get bored being a rancher, which you ain't anyway." "You're one of a kind, Augustus." "We're going to miss you." "Even you?" "Even me." "What do you want me to do with your half of the cattle?" "I want you to buy them from me." "You ain't put in a day's worth of work on them." "You ought to just give them to me." "Are they half mine or not?" "Yes, they're half yours." "All right." "Buy them from me and give the money to..." "Lorena." "All right." "Well, is there anything else?" "Sure you don't want me to haul you down to the South Pole and bury you there?" "All you got to do is ask." "Yeah." "Tell Newt that you're his daddy." "I've told him, but you should tell him." "You ought not have told him that." "What will you do, shoot me for it?" "It's time you stopped mistreating that boy." "I don't know that I ever have mistreated him." "Not giving him your name is mistreating him." "Now, he's the only son you'll ever have." "I don't know that he is my son." "I know it, and you know it." "Darn, you're stubborn." "No wonder women don't like you." "Reach in that drawer there and find me something to write on." "I want to leave a couple of notes for Lorie and Clara." "Want me to do anything about them Indians that shot you?" "We got no call to be vengeful." "They didn't invite us here." "It's a dangerous business writing to two women at the same time." "I'm so light-headed, I can hardly remember which one's which." "Now this one's..." "This one's..." "For Lorie." "Take it." "And this one here..." "'I God." "You want me to help you with that?" "What would you know to say to a woman?" "Augustus." "'I God, Woodrow..." "It's been quite a party, ain't it?" "Yes, sir." "Well..." "Reckon you'll be needing an undertaker." "No." "He asked me to take him back to Texas for his burial." "People do have their whimsies, don't they?" "Your friend had his share, all right." "You going to do it?" "I said I would, although I hadn't counted on this weather when I made my promise." "Well, you could let him winter here, take him back to Texas next spring when the weather breaks." "Doubt he'd mind the stay." "Easy, old Hugh." "I'll take her through." "There." "He'll do just fine here for the winter." "I'll come for him next spring." "Now, don't worry if you change your mind." "We'll bury him for you." "Why would I change my mind?" "Well, people promise all sorts of things to the dying." "It's been my observation they generally forget the whole business in a few days." "I don't." "No, sir." "I can see you don't." "I didn't mean you in particular." "I'll come back next spring." "He'll be here." "Want me to wait on you?" "No." "I'll pick up them coats and blankets and creep along behind." "Dead?" "Gus is dead?" "You'd best go tell the boys to gather at the wagon." "I don't want to tell this story but once." "Go on, now." "I'll be along shortly." "Gus got the blood poisoning in his legs..." "From them arrows the Indians shot in him." "The doctor cut one of them off..." "Wouldn't let him have the other." "He was stubborn about it." "That's what killed him." "Before he died, he asked me to take him back to Texas for his burial, and..." "I intend to do it come spring." "I bet the captain ain't said more than a word in weeks." "Yeah, well, he never talked much anyway." "We're gonna build our ranch in this little valley." "You go tell the boys." "Come on in!" "We're here!" "We're here!" "Dish, soon as that wagon's unloaded you best take some boys and go cutting logs for a cabin." "Captain." "Captain, I signed on to drive these cows up to Montana for you, but I don't remember signing on to stay." "Winters are hard here." "You'd be better advised to go in the spring." "If I could have my wages, I'd take my chances." "I got a coat." "I won't hold you back if you're determined." "I am." "All right." "Don't get lost." "I pointed this herd up here." "I can find my way back." "Give Texas a hello for me." "Texas?" "Hell, he ain't going to Texas." "He's riding to Nebraska for that little blond whore now that Gus is out of his way." "Lorie ain't no whore." "Take that back, or I'll box your ears." "Well..." "I just meant she was a whore in her younger years." "I don't know what she does for a living now." "Well, boys..." "Newt." "I swear, Dish..." "Thanks, Luke." "Push." "Push it up." "The army needs a little beef for the wintertime." "Newt, you, Jasper, and Pea drive about 100 head over to Fort Benton." "Newt, you're in charge." "Make a fair trade to both parties." "Bring the money back here." "Yes, sir." "Captain, just a minute." "That ain't right." "What ain't right?" "Putting him in charge." "I'm a top hand." "I ain't taking no orders from no boy." "You will, or you'll draw your wages right now." "Well, Captain..." "I ain't got nothing to go back to Texas for." "I don't care to cross them rivers again." "Behave yourself, then." "I give orders here." "Yes, sir." "Newt, you got any questions?" "No, sir." "Well..." "Let's go." "You must be hungry, trying to eat all that dirt." "What's going on down there?" "Get up, Newt." "You can do it." "You got him!" "Come on." "Yeah." "There you go." "All right!" "There." "Get up, rascal." "Get up, rascal." "Get up." "Come on, Newt." "Get up." "Get him." "Get up." "Get up." "Oh, boy!" "That-a boy!" "Get up." "Go ahead." "Get up." "There you go!" "All right." "Get on your horse, Jasper." "We got cattle to drive." "A devil here." "Whoa." "Settle down." "Settle down." "Hold him." "Hold him." "Yeah, now." "Come on." "Whoo!" "Coming at you." "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Give him to me!" "Hyah!" "All right, Newt!" "Go!" "Go!" "Ride him, Newt!" "Ride him, Newt!" "He's got a way with horses, don't he?" "Yeah, he does." "Just like you." "Which one you want next, Newt?" "Oh, let's get that little bay." "You're going, I reckon, Captain." "See how your saddle fits this gray." "The hell bitch?" "Put your saddle on her." "You're range boss now, Newt." "I told them other boys." "Pea..." "You help him." "He'll need a steady man." "Yes, sir, Captain." "I will." "That was my father's." "Newt." "I..." "Yes, sir?" "I..." "Darn, Newt, he acted like you was his kin." "No." "I ain't kin to nobody, Pea." "Lorie." "You're going to go crazy sitting up here every day like this." "How do you know Captain Call's even going to come back this way?" "He will." "What good's that going to do you?" "Gus is dead." "I know." "Well..." "I guess you wish you'd gone off with him instead of staying here." "I should have." "No." "You'd be stuck up there in Montana with a bunch of men all wanting you to love them." "Hyah!" "Get on!" "Get on!" "Hyah!" "Look at Dish." "He wants you to love him so bad, he rode through blizzards to get here." "He wasted his time, too." "Did you love Gus?" "Yes, I did." "He proposed to you, didn't he?" "About 30 times, on and off over the years." "But he was a rambler." "I knew I'd never be able to keep him at home." "He used to act so disappointed when I'd say no." "I could see the relief all over his face." "I think he knew what a struggle it would be if he won me," "and he didn't want to, not deep down." "Clara." "Well, Captain Call," "I see you're doing it." "I told him I would." "Gus was crazy, and you're foolish to be dragging his corpse back to Texas." "Everybody's talking about it." "I reckon that'd suit Gus." "I wish you'd bury him up on the ridge with my sons." "I told him that." "I told him that very thing, but that's not what he asked of me." "He wants to lay in that little picnic spot you and him had back in Texas." "I remember that spot." "We quarreled there." "He wanted what I wouldn't give, and I wanted what he didn't have." "He felt tender about the place, and I gave him my word." "Now, he wrote you a letter." "He wrote you each a letter." "He left you his half of the herd, too." "I put the money in the bank in Miles City." "You can draw on it anytime." "It's a fair amount." "Captain Call." "There's a coffin in the wagon." "Looks like he's doing it." "I never doubted he would." "Aah!" "Martin, will you behave?" "He wasn't hurting nothing, Mama." "You hush up and eat your dinner, Sally." "Ain't Lorie eating, Mama?" "Lorie's spending a little time with Mr. McCrae before Captain Call takes him up to Texas." "Well..." "That was a fine dinner." "You're excused, Dish." "Thank you, ma'am." ""Dear Clara," ""I would be obliged if you'd look after Lorie." ""I fear she'll take this hard." ""I'm down to one leg now," ""and this life is fading fast." ""So I can't say more." ""Good luck to you and your gals. "" "I wonder if you want me to read that letter to you." "No." "No." "I'll just keep it." "He put my name on it." "I can read that." "I'll just keep it." "They'll all forget you, Gus." "They got their own doings." "But I won't." "Whenever it comes morning or night," "I'll think of you." "I won't never forget you, Gus." "Not ever." "Darling." "Mrs. Allen!" "Mrs. Allen!" "She just kind of crumpled and fell." "She just fainted." "Bring her up to her room, Dish." "She just fainted, that's all, spending the night up with Mr. McCrae." "Go hitch the wagon for Captain Call." "I see he's eager to leave." "For that girl's sake, I wish you'd bury him here." "Gus meant the world to her." "I agree it's foolish." "I told him so myself, but I give him my word I'd take him back." "Give him your word?" "Did you give that boy your name before you left Montana?" "I give him my horse." "You gave him your horse, not your name." "I put a lot more value on the animal than I do my name." "Look at me, Captain Call." "I'm sorry you and Gus McCrae ever met." "You ruined each other and those closest to you." "I loved Gus, but I wasn't gonna fight you for him every day of my life." "I despised you then for what you were." "I despise you now for what you're doing." "Goodbye, Gus." "You that fellow taking some crazy man back to Texas for burial?" "Yeah, we heard about you." "Listen, I give a real nice $10 funeral right here in Ogallala." "Course, the tombstone's extra." "Not in the market." "Howdy." "I've got a bad wheel." "I can see it." "I guess I've heard of you." "You're Captain Call." "This here is your friend." "You still got a long way to go, huh?" "Can you fix the wagon?" "Why, sure." "Let me look at it." "Looks like we may have to replace the wheel." "A lot of people in town." "To watch a hanging." "Yeah." "Everybody wants to see this one hang." "He muy malo..." "Bad." "Who is it, some politician?" "No." "It's a man caught butchering a family down in Bosque Redondo." "They got him up there." "His name is Blue Duck." "I hear he caused trouble in your country." "That's true." "He did." "Well, them days is over for him now." "What's he been doing?" "Nothing, just sitting there." "I hear you're bringing your stinkin' old friend to my hanging'." "He'd enjoy seeing it, all right." "I should have caught him and cooked him." "I'd have killed you for it if you had." "I raped women, stole children, and burned houses, shot men, run off horses, and killed cattle, and robbed who I pleased all over your territory, and you never even had a good look at me" "until today." "You wouldn't have killed me." "It don't matter much now, though, does it?" "You Rangers!" "I expect I'll kill a passel of you yet." "I doubt it." "Not unless you can sprout wings and fly through the hangman's noose." "I can fly." "An old woman taught me, and if you care to wait," "you'll see me." "I'll wait." "I give you my word on it." "Your hangman's waiting." "Are you ready?" "Well," "I guess that old woman didn't teach you how to fly after all." "Well, there you are, Augustus." "I guess this will teach me to be more careful about what I promise in the future." "Bol." "¿Capitán?" "How are you, Bol?" "Capitán." "Capitán!" "I'm surprised to see you here." "Thought you went back to Mexico to be with your family." "I did go, but my daughters, they were all married and gone." "And my wife, she was harder to get along with than ever." "So I came back." "Where are all the others?" "Jake's buried up in Kansas." "Deets in Montana." "Gus is in a little stand of pecan trees alongside a creek where he used to picnic with a woman." "The rest of the boys are up in the north country, building a ranch." "They say it burned down about a year ago." "Are you Captain Call?" "Captain Woodrow F. Call?" "What started the fire?" "The way I heard it, the owner, a man named Wanz, I believe?" "Xavier Wanz." "He was apparently in love with some whore, but she left him, so he locked himself in her room and burned the place down around him." "They say he missed her." "I swear." "You are Captain Call, aren't you?" "What do you want?" "I work for the newspaper up in San Antonio." "Could I talk to you for a few minutes?" "No." "They say you carried your friend 3,000 miles just to bury him." "Is that true?" "They say both of you were Texas Rangers back in the old days, that you cleaned the Comanches out, and the bandits." "Is that true?" "They say you started the first cattle ranch up in Montana." "They say you're a man of vision." "Captain Call?" "A man of vision, you say?" "Yeah." "Hell of a vision."