That evening, Tom and Jim make camp and talk beside the campfire. Tom has been to Taos and California; at Taos he heard about Jim. His Nez Perce wife left him a month ago, believing there was no future with a beaver man. He mentions hearing of beaver in South Park, back in the Rockies, but deflects when Jim shows interest, warning him to stick to his cabin.

Tom camps under the oak where the tepee stood and stays over a month. Jonnie and Sally welcome him warmly, but Dan’l remains hostile, jealous that Tom might steal Jim away. Tom works alongside them during harvest; Jim goes through his tasks distracted by Tom’s presence.

They visit Joe Meek, who roars with delight. At a harvest celebration at the Rutledges’, men discuss the new wagon trains arriving and rumors of a possible overland route through the Cascades. Tom stands somewhat apart from the farmers even while standing among them. Jim realizes Tom is the loneliest man he has ever seen.

Three days after the harvest celebration, Jim rides out at dawn with Tom. His belongings are loaded on Bad Medicine, Moki races alongside, and Buckskin’s nose points toward the high Cascades.

Jim and Tom ride into the mountains, the journey feeling natural to Jim. At Willamette Falls, an old Chinook ferryman named Jake reluctantly ferries them across, sour about Umpquas portaging around the falls as they begin their return south after trading. Jim bribes him with blue beads.

They climb through forests toward the Cascades. Jim is restless, repeatedly checking horses and gear. On the third morning they hear shouting and discover wagons descending Laurel Hill. Jim watches as a wagon careens wildly down the near-vertical slope, oxen scrambling while a tree drags behind as a brake. More wagons wait at the top. Jim imagines wagons spreading across the continent, bringing settlers into places he once thought unreachable. He realizes he belongs in the valley, not the wilderness.

Tom reveals he knew Jim belonged with his family all along but wanted to see him discover it himself. Jim asks Tom to return, but Tom refuses. Trapping is his life; he is a man whose time has passed. They part in the mist. Jim descends toward home, determined to stay with his family.

Five mornings later Jim arrives at the clearing. Sally is weeping. Dan’l has disappeared, leaving a note saying he has gone to be an “Injun.” Jonnie and the men have searched fruitlessly for three days. Jim realizes Dan’l must be with the Umpquas heading south and immediately rides to rescue him.

Before dawn, the Crow warrior Talks Alone—Jim, painted and stripped—watches the Umpqua camp from above a hidden cove. Two sentries guard the sleeping Umpqua camp. Jim lowers himself down the embankment, sends Moki to attack the sentry by the fire, and he shoots the other with an arrow. He kills the first sentry with his knife and enters the largest hut using a burning brand for light.

Inside, Jim finds Dan’l bound hand and foot among sleeping Umpquas. He frees the boy and they escape through the back wall. But Dan’l’s ankles are numb from the bindings; he stumbles and Jim must carry him. The Umpquas wake and pursue. As Jim scrambles up the embankment, he is struck on the head by a blow and falls back into the camp, unconscious.

Jim wakes bound beside Dan’l. The Umpqua chieftain kicks him and speaks angrily in his dialect. At dawn, Joe Meek arrives with Jonnie, Mr. Rutledge, and others. Guided by the message Jim sent with Sally, Meek follows his trail through the night. Meek confronts the chieftain, who denies having captives. Jim attacks his guard and yells, revealing their location. Meek rescues them as the Umpquas scatter.

Meek offers Jim the position of deputy for his tracking skills. Jim refuses, telling Meek that once Dan’l is home, he must leave the valley for good. He believes his past choices have brought trouble to his family and decides he must leave.

Three days later, Jim, Jonnie, Dan’l, and Mr. Rutledge return home. Sally joyfully welcomes Dan’l, expressing gratitude for Jim’s role in rescuing him. Despite his desire to stay, Jim tells Jonnie he is leaving for good to protect Dan’l from his influence. Jonnie insists Jim tell Dan’l himself.

Jim tries to explain the valley’s future and the brave settlers at Laurel Hill, but Dan’l insists he wants to be like Jim. Jim cuts off both his braids and throws down his coup feather, showing Dan’l that he will no longer live as a Crow warrior. Sally saves the braids and feather in the leather box with family keepsakes.

Jim retreats to the river, struggling with his medicine bundle. Jonnie finds him, and Jim explains the dream that brought him to the valley. Jonnie recognizes the words as the 23rd Psalm from the Bible, which their mother read when they were sick. Jim realizes his medicine connected to this remembered prayer. He throws away the bundle.

They spend the afternoon planning Jim’s future, which now includes farming, teaching Dan’l, and possibly helping Joe Meek as a deputy when needed. Jim tries to say he will forget Absaroka, but Jonnie tells him not to try. The Crows made him strong and brave; he should remember them.

At sunset they return to the cabin. Jim looks over the valley and the home he shares with his family and walks through the lighted doorway, finally home at last.