"This was a dirty job, as we had to dismantle the tin chimney to move the stove back and forth, and we were both rained down in black soot; but when we were finished I could not imagine a soul would ever find our treasure, for no one would think to look in so remote a spot.The rough estimate of these riches was set at fifteen thousand dollars; my take of this more than tripled my savings, and as we left the musty basement, heading up the stairs and into the light, I felt two things at once: A gladness at this turn of fortune, but also an emptiness that I did not feel more glad; or rather, a fear that my gladness was forced or false. I thought, Perhaps a man is never meant to be truly happy. Perhaps there is no such a thing in our world, after all. As we walked the halls of the hotel the whores were abuzz with the news of Mayfield's head-wounded departure, and the disappearance of the trappers. I spied Charlie's whore, looking only slightly less green than before, and took her to the side, asking where the bookkeeper was. "They ran her up to the doc's." 'Is she all right?' 'I imagine. They're always running her up there' I pressed a hundred dollars into her hand. 'I want you to give this to her when she comes back.' She stared at the money. 'Jesus Christ on a cloud.' 'I will return in two weeks' time. If I find she has not received it, there will be a price to pay, do you understand me?' 'Mister, I was just standing in the hall, here.' I held up a double eagle. 'This is for you.' She dropped the coin into her pocket. Peering down the hall in the direction Charlie had gone she asked, 'I don't suppose your brother'll be leaving me a hundred.' 'No I don't suppose he will.' 'You got all the romantic blood, is that it?' 'Our blood is the same, we just use it differently.' I turned and walked away. A half-dozen steps, and she asked. 'You want to tell me what she did for this?' I stopped and thought. I told her, 'She was pretty, and kind to me.' And the poor whore's face, she just did not know what to think about that. She went back into her room, slammed the door shut, and shrieked two times."
In the book, Eli who plays as a
protagonist shows care and kindness towards everyone. This is first shown when
Eli talked about feeling bad when he had to use the whip on his horse when he
was left no choice. When Eli and Charlie end up going to a clothing store in
the middle of the night, Eli tells Charlie that he wants to settle down and
have an honest living. This intrigues Charlie, but he dismisses it quickly.
When Eli met the lady at the front desk – of the first hotel the brothers
stayed at- Eli liked her for how she behaved and was very considerate when she
was aggressive at the beginning. Feeling bad for her living environment Eli
tips her generously; leaving the money under the bed, so his brother wouldn't
see it. Having realized Eli is a big softy Charlie places an ultimatum on Eli
to either leave or to finish the job and do whatever he wants to do after.
In addition, Charlie (Eli’s brother)
is a protagonist as well however, he shows aggression, bad habits, and
vulgarity throughout this book. When the brothers come across a boy surrounded
by wagons who aimed a gun at them asking questions, Charlie doesn't hesitate
when he grabs the rifle and thwarts the kid on the head. There was no remorse
from Charlie when he knocked the kid out with one sweep. This showed the
aggressive side of Charlie by letting the reader know that he is not patient.
Charlie displays his vulgarity when he is laughing and dancing around (clearly
enjoying himself) with the whores at Mayfield’s office while Eli goes out to
talk to the lady who is the bookkeeper. Also, throughout the book Charlie get
drunk frequently even though his body takes the toll the next day, yet he insists.
This exhibits his bad habits reinforcing his character as an unlikable person.
