Arturo's book comes out a week later. He sees it in the stores, but does not experience the same level of fun he had when The Little Dog Laughed was published. He has had no word from Camilla.
Arturo finally receives a postcard from Sammy asking him to come and get Camilla because he does not want her hanging around. Arturo leaves immediately and drives to the desert, but Sammy tells him Camilla left three days earlier with Willie and a bottle of milk. Sammy can only say the general direction she was headed when she walked away, and Arturo heads out into the desert to find her. Walking all night, he finds no trace of Camilla in the desolate, cold desert, realizing that the desert is indifferent to death and would cover the.....
