Josh Deets should have lived a long life and died by a warm fire, surrounded by friends and family.
After the company enters Montana, Deets notices that several horses have been stolen, most likely by Indians. When Deets tracks them down, he finds they only needed them for meat. Gus and Woodrow decide to let the Indians keep some of them, so rather than start an engagement, Call fires his gun to scare off the Indians. As planned, the Indians scatter, but they leave behind a blind toddler. Empathizing with the child, Deets picks him up to comfort him. Behind him, however, a young warrior from the tribe is hiding, and believe that Deets is trying to steal the baby. Gus and Woodrow warn him to drop the baby. Deets simply holds out the baby to the young man to no avail. The young warrior impales Deets with a spear. Deets dies within a few seconds. Gus and Woodrow bring his body back to the camp and bury him. Woodrow, despite having seen much death and not reacting very emotionally to it, is this time moved to carve a sign for Deets:
JOSH DEETS
SERVED WITH ME 30 YEARS. FOUGHT IN 21 ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE COMMANCHE AND KIOWA. CHERFUL IN ALL WEATHERS, NEVER SHERKED A TASK. SPLENDID BEHAVIOUR.
