We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

Lonesome Dove Chapters 86-90 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • After the fight, Gus slips Newt and the boys extra money for a whore.
  • The boys ask Lippy to lead them to a saloon with whores. There, they try whiskey for the first time.
  • Some of the boys can't hold their liquor and barf immediately.
  • A little drunk, Newt heads up the back stairs, where the whores are supposed to be. He's greeted by a woman named Buf, a.k.a. the Buffalo Heifer.
  • Buf's looks live up to her name.
  • Buf accepts Newt's money and takes him into her boudoir. She washes him up, and he finishes while she's doing it.
  • Despite having finished prematurely, Newt is brought into Buf's bed to wiggle around a bit before she dismisses him.
  • After all the boys have a turn—except Pete Spettle, who is saving his money—the boys find Lippy, who bought an accordion.
  • The drunk boys all load onto one poor horse, except Newt, who has to walk, and they begin the trek back to camp.
  • Clara has more visitors. She hears Augustus McCrea's voice from miles away. Okay, maybe not miles, but she definitely hears him coming.
  • Augusts has brought Call and Lorena and Newt along for the visit.
  • Lorena is embarrassed and anxious at seeing Gus kiss Clara, but Clara is very kind and welcoming to Lorena.
  • Gus is surprised to see July Johnson there—and even more surprised that July Johnson's newborn son is there, too.
  • Clara fills Gus in on everything that had happened over the last few weeks, and she tells him about her comatose husband.
  • Call wants to buy some horses, but Cholo and July make him speak to Clara.
  • Call is a little taken aback at having to do business with a woman. The audacity of it all.
  • Clara drives a hard bargain—and by "bargain," we mean no bargain. It's her price or no deal.
  • Since Clara has such good horses, Call regretfully pays her price.
  • Call tells July that they hanged Jake Spoon, and July's glad they did, because he didn't imagine he'd ever catch him, anyway.
  • Meanwhile, Clara tells Gus about her dislike for Call. She thinks Call brings out the worst in Gus and wishes they weren't partners.
  • Clara seems a little jealous that Gus spent time with Call instead of her, but Gus reminds her that he wrote her letters, and she never wrote back.
  • Turning the discussion back to nicer times, Gus and Clara talk about their "orchard" (87.162), a place on the Guadalupe River where they shared fond memories.
  • Later that evening, dinner is served.
  • At dinner, Clara tells Gus to leave Lorena behind. Clara could use some female help around the house.
  • Clara also wonders why Gus won't tell Newt that Call is his father.
  • Gus says he imagines Call will work up to it, but Clara doesn't think he will.
  • Newt and Call head back to camp, but before they leave, Clara gives Newt her best horse—an amazing gift.
  • Newt doesn't understand what he did to deserve it.
  • After Call and Newt leave, Clara takes Gus to look at her comatose husband Bob.
  • Nothing like a man with bedsores to put another man in the mood, but Gus wants to kiss Clara.
  • Clara's not interested in Gus, though. She'd much rather he left Lorena so she could have a friend around the house.
  • When Gus does go in for a smooch, it's a disappointing one, and Clara laughs at him.
  • Clara goes downstairs and invites Lorena to stay. Lorena is shocked.
  • And Gus is shocked that Lorena says yes. Clara's glad another woman will be there to watch the girls.
  • Gus promises to return.
  • Even though Clara doesn't want Gus as a husband, she doesn't want him to go to Montana. She suggests he buy land nearby, in Nebraska.
  • But Gus wants to go to Montana with Call, so off he rides.
  • Dish Boggett is shocked that Gus would return without Lorena.
  • Gus misses Lorena and Clara, though Call is convinced Gus did the right thing. They prepare to solider on, even though Po Campo predicts a drought.
  • Call scouts for water and finds the next source to be a whopping 80 miles away.
  • A windstorm slows their journey across those dry miles.
  • Even though Po Campo carefully rations the water, the men run out.
  • But they make it, and all the cattle storm the river like they'd never seen water before.
  • Soon the guys hope to reach the Yellowstone, their goal.
  • The men and cows rest on the Salt River for two days.
  • In the middle of the night, horse thieves steal twelve horses… and no one notices. Who are these magical animal-disappearing thieves? Penn and Teller?
  • Call, Gus, and Deets track the thieves to an Indian camp.
  • It's a pretty straggly camp, and the men are confident they can get their horses back without a fight.
  • Too confident, it turns out, because one young warrior charges with a lance and drives it into Deets's chest!
  • Call and Gus fire simultaneously, killing the boy instantly.
  • Deets dies, and his last words are a question: "Where's little Newt?" (90.64). Newt is safe at camp when Deets dies.
  • Call and Gus gather the horses and return with them and Deets's body to camp.
  • Gus is angry with himself for his carelessness.
  • When Newt sees the men arrive with Deets's body, he curls up tight in his blanket, wanting to mourn in peace.
  • Newt cries privately while Gus and Call go to bury Deets. They have a short memorial service, and Call carves Deets a grave maker from a piece of wood taken from the side of the wagon. It's a sweet message with Deets's name and his accomplishments.
  • Call hammers the marker into the ground, and the men walk away. Lippy cries, saying he wished he'd stayed in Lonesome Dove.