Chapter 9 Summary

The gang is crossing a dry lake bed when Glanton stops. All at once, the Dakotas and Bathcat climb off their horses, lead them into some brush and hobble them. A group of archers appear on the lake bed. The gang had been about to walk into an ambush. The Indians ride toward the gang, shooting their arrows. When the gang fires back, they turn and vanish. One of the Indians lies dead on the lake bed. The judge cuts away the war bag and dumps it out on the sand. It held several gunflints, balls, a rosary, and an eye shield. The judge picks up a calculus and pockets it. Then, he cuts away the man's shorts and takes a small bag that is tied near the man's genitals. Finally, the judge cuts off the man's scalp.

The gang rides on, spending...