Part Two, The Desert, Pages 62-125, Summary and Analysis

In Battle Mountain there was a business called the Green Lantern that fascinated the children. Jeannette and Brian often walked past the business and could not figure out what it was. There were many women who worked there; but they all seemed to be doing nothing except sunbathing on the front porch most of the day. One day Jeannette dared Brian to talk to one of the girls. He did, learning little except that the ladies were nice.

That winter, Rex took the family swimming at The Hot Pot, a hot spring in the desert north of town. Jeannette could not swim, so Rex decided he was going to teach her. Rex threw Jeannette into the deep center of the spring repeatedly until she began to swim on her own. Jeannette...