The abusive treatment by military escorts makes May think she may not mind living in the wilderness. She enjoys watching the wild and romantic cowboys herding cattle. The train is stopped so the men aboard can shoot buffalo from the windows. The men are celebratory, but May finds the slaughter ugly and wasteful.
Although the government's stand is that the brides will live as missionaries among the Indians, people are viewing them as whores. Her female host rudely warns May not to discuss the mission in front of her children. Given their treatment by so-called "civilized" people, May looks forward to living among savages.
Heading for Ft. Sidney, several women have defected, frightened by the degraded, drunken fort Indians. Phemie's army hosts say free.....
