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Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Summary

July and Joe come upon a huge trail herd at dawn and find its owner, Wilbarger, sitting by the ashes reading Milton in iron-rimmed spectacles — the only quiet minute of his day. Blunt and talkative, he complains that Texas has no law, tells July he has overshot Jake Spoon by hundreds of miles (Jake was last seen in Lonesome Dove and is coming north with the outfit that recovered Wilbarger's horses), and advises him to camp here and put the boy in school. He has no news of Roscoe, whom he judges by his name to be better suited to clerking. He offers Joe a job on the drive; Joe, thrilled and dutiful, refuses. They ride with him a few miles, and when July asks about Colorado, Wilbarger warns that the outlaws up there are meaner than the Indians. July turns back east to look for Roscoe. Joe, resentful, wishes he had taken the job.

Analysis

Wilbarger reads Milton on the prairie and dispenses accurate advice nobody takes: July has overshot his man, Joe should take the job. The near-miss is structural — these two plots will only touch again over graves, and the offered escape is refused out of duty.

Plates

First light on the misty flats — July making coffee at the little creek while Joe, still in his blankets, hears cattle bawling somewhere out in the fog.
00 First light on the misty flats — July making coffee at the little creek while Joe, still in his blankets, hears cattle bawling somewhere out in the fog.
The sun thins the mists and the herd comes into sight — thousands of cattle spread three or four miles over the dewy plain, and the two riders stop to look at it.
01 The sun thins the mists and the herd comes into sight — thousands of cattle spread three or four miles over the dewy plain, and the two riders stop to look at it.
The wrangler turns the remuda loose — fifty or sixty horses jumping and kicking up their heels, glad to be moving.
02 The wrangler turns the remuda loose — fifty or sixty horses jumping and kicking up their heels, glad to be moving.
Bob the cook, packing his pots and skillets into the wagon, tells the two arrivals they are too late — the hands have eaten him out of breakfast.
03 Bob the cook, packing his pots and skillets into the wagon, tells the two arrivals they are too late — the hands have eaten him out of breakfast.
Wilbarger on a tarp by the ashes of the campfire, reading Milton in iron-rimmed spectacles — the one moment of peace he gets after breakfast.
04 Wilbarger on a tarp by the ashes of the campfire, reading Milton in iron-rimmed spectacles — the one moment of peace he gets after breakfast.
Wilbarger on his feet, looking sternly through his glasses, telling the young sheriff he has overshot Jake Spoon by hundreds of miles and had better camp here and put the boy in school.
05 Wilbarger on his feet, looking sternly through his glasses, telling the young sheriff he has overshot Jake Spoon by hundreds of miles and had better camp here and put the boy in school.
The book set down on the tarp with a grass blade marking the place, waiting to be tucked into the bedroll — the peace of the morning already over.
06 The book set down on the tarp with a grass blade marking the place, waiting to be tucked into the bedroll — the peace of the morning already over.
Mounted and ready to go, Wilbarger looks round at Joe and offers him a job with the outfit; the boy, thrilled, says he reckons he can't.
07 Mounted and ready to go, Wilbarger looks round at Joe and offers him a job with the outfit; the boy, thrilled, says he reckons he can't.
After several miles of silent loping the three stop at a fair-sized stream to water Wilbarger's horse, and the talk turns to Colorado — where the outlaws are meaner than the Indians, with less excuse.
08 After several miles of silent loping the three stop at a fair-sized stream to water Wilbarger's horse, and the talk turns to Colorado — where the outlaws are meaner than the Indians, with less excuse.
Wilbarger already out of sight, the moment missed — July turns east without a word and Joe, resentful, follows.
09 Wilbarger already out of sight, the moment missed — July turns east without a word and Joe, resentful, follows.