Lonesome Dove: Chapter 95 Summary & Analysis

Despite the pain and his rising fever, Augustus manages to keep a decent watch for the rest of the night after Pea Eye leaves. He knows that the festering wound in his leg is very bad and that he likely won’t survive if he just lays around and waits for Call to rescue him—even if Pea Eye makes it back to camp. He decides his only hope is to walk east in hopes of reaching Miles City. Luckily, the Indigenous warriors have disappeared overnight. Gus fashions a crutch for himself and strikes off. He must stop frequently to rest, and each time he does, it gets harder to start going again. Soon he rests on his feet, lest he find himself unable to stand up once again if he sits down. He stops only when he literally collapses from exhaustion. 

Gus wakes late on the morning of the following day to find that he’s not alone. A little, old, crooked-backed white man watches over him. The man introduces himself as Hugh Auld. He says he is on friendly terms with the Blood and Blackfeet nations, and he assures Gus that the band that attacked him has moved on, chasing buffalo—winter is coming, and they need to stock up. He observes that Gus’s putrefying leg needs to be amputated as soon as possible, but they’re unlikely to succeed out in the field. He lends Gus his horse to ride into Miles City and seek medical help—hopefully before it’s too late. Gus rides the 40 miles into Miles City and asks for help, fainting before he can hear their answer.