Summary

Chapter 17 is an extended fantasy by Grey. She imaginatively places herself in the historical moment of Billy the Kid’s escape from the Lincoln jail. In her fantasy, she has beautified herself and is now standing before Billy’s handlers, J.W. Bell and Bob Olinger. She greets Billy as if they are strangers and, in shaking his hand, hands him a secret note.

She then goes across the street to wait in a chair in front of the Wortley Hotel. The note, as it turns out, reads simply: “outhouse.” Bob Olinger leaves to have lunch, leaving Billy in the custody of Bell. Billy asks to go to the outhouse, and there he urinates loudly while preparing the shotgun he finds there. He comes out of the outhouse pointing the gun at Bell, who backs away. The two have actually developed an amicable rapport...