Larry McMurtry - Lonesome Dove

"Why, there was talk of him over at Fort Worth," Jake said. "He runs a big gang of murderers. They lay by the trails and murder travelers for whatever they've got on 'em. Why didn't you just bring her to camp, if you knew he was around?"

"I should have, for sure," Augustus said. "But she didn't want to come. She had faith in you for some reason."

"Well, this is aggravating," Jake said. "She wouldn't come to town either. She would have been safe in town. But she wouldn't come."

"What's your plan, Gus?" he asked, when he saw that Augustus was almost ready to leave.

"My plan is to go get Lorie back," Augustus said.

"I hope you catch the man before he gets home," Call said. "Otherwise you'll be up against a gang."

Augustus shrugged. "It's just one gang," he said.

"I'm going with you," Dish Boggett said, surprising everyone.

"I didn't ask for volunteers and I don't want any," Augustus said.

"It's none of your say anyway, you pup!" Jake said hotly.

"I ain't no pup and you're a gambling lowlife who let her get stolen," Dish said coolly. He and Jake faced off, both tense as wires, but Augustus mounted and rode his horse in between them.

"Now, girls," he said, "let's not get to gunfighting. I'm going and you two are staying here."

"It's a free country," Dish said, looking up at Augustus angrily.

"Not for you, it ain't," Augustus said. "You've got to stay here and keep this cow herd pointed for the north star."

"That's right," Call said quickly. Losing Gus was all right-he seldom worked anyway. But Dish was their best hand. He had already turned two stampedes-something no one else in the outfit had the skill to manage.

Dish didn't like it, but, faced with the Captain's orders, there was not much he could do about it. The thought of Lorena in the hands of an outlaw made him feel sick, and his rage at Jake Spoon for exposing her to such danger was terrible. He turned and walked away.

"Are we leaving tonight?" Jake asked. "My horse is rode down."

"You ain't leaving at all, Jake," Augustus said. "At least not with me. I'm likely to have to travel hard, and I won't have time for Conversation."

Jake flared up again. "By God, I'll go if I please," he said. "She's my woman."

Augustus ignored him. "I hate to leave just when you're breaking in a new cook," he said to Call. "I guess by the time I get back you'll all be nibbling on spiders and centipedes."

Deets came over, looking worried. "You best watch close," he said. "He gave me the slip-might give you the slip."

"Oh, you probably had your mind on grasshoppers or something, Deets," Augustus said.

"You got enough shells?" Call asked.

"I don't know, I ain't counted the gang yet," Augustus said. "If I run out I can always throw rocks at them."

With that and a nod he rode off. Call felt a little confused. Though the woman was no responsibility of his, he felt like he should be going too. Here he was, stuck with a bunch of cattle, while Gus was riding off to do the work they ought to have done long ago. It didn't feel right.

Meanwhile, Jake was working himself into a fury over Gus's behavior.

"I should have shot him!" he said. "By God, what does he mean, leaving me? I brought the woman, I guess I've got a right to go fetch her back."

"You should have stuck closer," Call remarked.

"I meant to," Jake said guiltily. "I only meant to stay in Austin one night. But then I got some good hands and thought I'd make it two. She could have come with me but she wouldn't. Loan me a horse, why don't you? I don't want Gus to get too much of a start."

"He said he didn't want you," Call said. "You know him. If he don't want you he won't take you."

"He wouldn't let us alone," Jake said, as if talking to himself. "He was always coming for breakfast."

Then his eyes fell on Newt, who was feeling guilty enough. "You was sent to watch her," Jake said. "I'd say you did a hell of a poor job."

Newt didn't reply. It was true-he had, and it made him feel worse that Jake was the one to say it. He mounted his night horse and rode quickly out of camp. He knew he was going to cry and didn't want any of the boys to see him. Soon he did cry, so much that the tears dripped off his face and wet the cantle of his saddle.

Back in camp, Jake was still stomping around in a fury. "That boy ain't worth his wages," he said. "I should have given him a lick or two."

Call didn't like his tone. "You sit down," he said. "He don't need a lick. He came back to help with the stampede, which is what he was supposed to do. Probably Blue Duck started the cattle running some way and then went and got the woman. It ain't the boy's fault."

Then Jake spotted Po Campo, who was sitting propped against a wagon wheel, his serape wrapped around him.

"Who's this, another bandit?" Jake asked.

"No, just a cook," Po Campo said.

"Well, you look like a bandit to me," Jake said. "Maybe that goddamned Indian sent you to poison us all."

"Jake, you sit down or get out," Call said. "I won't hear this wild talk."

"By God, I'll get out," Jake said. "Loan me a horse."

"No, sir," Call said. "We need all we've got. You can buy one in Austin."

Jake looked like he might collapse from nervousness and anger. All the boys who weren't on night guard watched him silently. The men's disrespect showed in their faces, but Jake was too disturbed to notice.

"By God, you and Gus are fine ones," Jake said. "I never thought to be treated this way." He climbed on his tired horse and rode out of camp mumbling to himself.

"Jake must have got his nerves stretched," Pea Eye said mildly.

"He won't get far on that horse," Deets said.

"He don't need to get far," Call said. "I imagine he'll just sleep off the whiskey and be back in the morning."

"You don't want me to go with Mr. Gus?" Deets asked. It was clear he was worried.

Call considered it. Deets was a fine tracker, not to mention a cool hand. He could be of some help to Gus. But the girl was none of his affair, and they needed Deets's scouting skills. Water might get scarcer and harder to find once they struck the plains.

"We don't want to lose Mr. Gus," Deets said.

"Why, I doubt anything would happen to Gus," Pea Eye said, surprised that anyone would think something might. Gus had always been there, the loudest person around, Pea Eye tried to imagine what might happen to him but came up with nothing-his brain made no picture of Gus in trouble.

Call agreed with him. Augustus had always proved to be a good deal more capable than most outlaws, even famous ones.

"No, you stay with us, Deets," Call said. "Gus likes the notion of whipping out a whole gang of outlaws all by himself."

Deets let be, but he didn't feel easy. The fact that he had lost the track worried him. It meant the Indian was better than him. He might be better than Mr. Gus, too. The Captain always said it was better to have two men, one to look in front and one to look behind. Mr. Gus would not have anyone to look behind.

Deets worried all the next day. Augustus did not come back, and no more was seen of Jake Spoon.

LORENA DIDN'T SEE the man come. She wasn't asleep, or even thinking about sleep. What she was thinking was that it was about time for Jake to show up. Much as he liked card playing, he liked his carrot better. He would be back before long.

Then, without her hearing a step or feeling any danger, Blue Duck was standing in front of her, the rifle still held in his big hand like a toy. She saw his legs and the rifle when she looked up, but a cloud had passed over the moon and she couldn't see his face-not at first.

A cold fear struck her. She knew she had been wrong not to go to the cow camp. She had even sent the boy away. She should have gone, but she had the silly notion that Jake would show up and scare the bandit off if he came back.