Summary

The Captain leaves Johanna in a hotel room, and goes to prepare for his reading. The sound of Johanna’s mournful Kiowa chant reverberates throughout the hotel, unnerving the young man at the hotel desk. Finally, they decide to fetch Mrs. Gannet to quiet Johanna. Mrs. Gannet arrives, and offers Johanna a piece of divinity candy, which Johanna first mistakes for poison. With Johanna entertained, the Captain takes some time to send a letter to his daughters, Elizabeth and Olympia.

The narrator tells us that Olympia’s husband died at Adairsville, during Johnson’s retreat towards Atlanta, and Olympia is now living with Elizabeth, her children and husband Emory, who has lost his hand in the war. The Captain edits his letter to eliminate any reference to the Georgia “Burning” and to contemporary politics because such “alarming” and “frightening” news might counteract his efforts...