Larry McMurtry - Lonesome Dove

"Hello, girls," Augustus said. "You look like you've done a heavy laundry. Wait till I finish my beef and I'll help you off your horses."

"I don't want off mine," Jake said. "Hand me a plate and I'll eat on the way to town."

Call felt irritated. It was the first full day Jake had put in since the work started, and mostly he had lazed through it.

"Why? Must you go?" he asked, trying to keep it mild. "We're going to make our last drag tonight. We have to get started, you know."

Jake dismounted and walked over to the grub, pretending he hadn't heard. He didn't want an argument with Call if he could avoid one. In truth, he had not been thinking very far ahead since drifting back to Lonesome Dove. He had often thought of the fortune that could be made in cattle in Montana, but then a man could think of a fortune without actually having to go and make one. The only good thing to be said for trailing cattle that far north was that it beat hanging in Arkansas, or rotting in some jail.

Then there was Lorie. So far she hadn't had a single fit, but that didn't mean she wouldn't if she found out he was leaving. On the other hand, he couldn't very well take her-no one in his memory had ever tried to bring a woman into one of Call's camps.

It was all vexing, having decisions to make, and yet having no time to think them through. He got himself a hunk of beef and some of the old Mexican's peppery stew and went back to where Call and Gus were sitting. He felt distinctly irritated with Call-the man never seemed to need any of the things other humans needed, like sleep or women. Life for Call was work, and he seemed to think everyone else ought to see it the same way.

"Why, Jake, you look plumb grumpy," Augustus said, when Jake sat down and began to eat. "Honest work don't agree with you, I guess."

"No, I'm about as cooked as this beef," Jake said.

Newt and the two Irishmen were holding the herd. The Irishmen were particularly good night herders because they could sing; their melodies seemed to soothe the cattle. In fact, the whole camp enjoyed the Irish singing. Newt couldn't sing a lick, but he had rapidly developed into such a skilled cowhand that Call felt a little guilty for having held him back so long.

"I'm sure partial to the evening," Augustus said. "The evening and the morning. If we just didn't have to have the rest of the dern day I'd be a lot happier."

"If we have a good drag tonight we can start north on Monday," Call said. "How does that suit you, Jake?"

"Oh, fine," Jake said. "But you boys don't have to try and suit me with your drive. I've been thinking of spending some time in San Antonio."

"That's a big disappointment," Augustus said. "It's a long way to Montany. I was counting on you to keep up the conversation."

"Well, count agin," Jake said, deciding on the spot that he wouldn't go.

Call knew there was no point in reminding Jake that the whole drive had been his idea. The man was willful as a child in some respects. Show him what he ought to do and he would dig in his heels and refuse. It was particularly irritating in this instance, because nobody in the outfit had even been farther north than Kansas. Jake knew the country and could be a big help.

"Jake, we wish you'd come," he said. "We were relying on you to help us choose the route."

"No, Jake don't like to help his compañeros ," Augustus said. "He's got his own fancies to cultivate. The fact that he caused all this don't mean a thing to him."

"Did I cause it?" Jake asked, trying to keep the talk light.

"Of course you caused it," Augustus said. "Who was it said Montana is a cowman's paradise?"

"Well, it is," Jake said.

"Then you should have picked a cattleman to mention it to," Augustus said. "Not two old laws like us."

"Hell, you're cattlemen now," Jake said. "All it takes is cows."

"Are you aiming to marry Lorie?" Augustus asked, changing his tack.

"Marry her?" Jake asked, astonished. "Why would I marry her?"

"You could do worse," Augustus said. "An old scamp like you's apt to break down any time. It would be nice to have a young woman to rub your back and bring you soup."

"I ain't near as old as you," Jake reminded him. "Why don't you marry her?" It was talk he didn't care to hear.

Swift Bill Spettle had let a horse kick him that morning and had a knot on his forehead as big as a goose egg.

"You best let Bol rub some ointment on that bump," Call suggested. The Spettle boys were mighty green, but they were not afraid to work.

Call got up and went to get his supper. As soon as he left, Augustus stretched his legs and grinned at Jake.

"I played a hand with Lorie this afternoon," he said. "I believe you've made her restless, Jake."

"How's that?"

"She does seem to be looking forward to San Francisco," Augustus said.

Jake felt himself getting more and more peevish. Lorena should have known better than to play cards with Gus, or even to talk to him, though she could hardly be blamed for listening. It was well known that Gus would talk to a stump if he couldn't find a human.

"I doubt she'll want to spend no time in San Antonio," Augustus said. "That's where she was before she came here, and women don't like to go backwards. Most women will never back up an inch their whole lives."

"I can't see that it's any of your affair what we do," Jake said. "I guess she'd go to San Antonio if I say to. If she don't, she'll just get left.

"Bring her on the drive," Augustus said. "She might like Montany. Or if she gets tired of looking at the ass end of these cows, you could always stop in Denver."

It was something, the talent Gus had for saying the very thing that a man might have been half thinking. Jake had more than once considered Denver, regretted more than once that he hadn't stopped there instead of going to Fort Smith. Going along with a drive would be a good enough way to get back to Denver. Of course, that didn't settle the question of Lorie, exactly.

"You know as well as I do Call would never allow no woman in this camp," he said. It was surprising that Gus would even suggest such a thing.

"Call ain't God," Augustus said. "He don't have to get his way every day of the month. If she was my sweetheart, I'd bring her, and if he didn't like it he could bite himself."

"You couldn't afford her, Gus, no better card player than you are," Jake said, standing up. "I believe I'll go to town. I don't feel like bumping around Mexico tonight."

Without another word he got his horse and left. Call watched him go and walked back over to Gus. "Do you think he'll come on the drive?" he asked.

"Not unless you let him bring his girl," Augustus said.

"Why, is Jake that crazy?" Call asked. "Does he want to bring that girl?"

"It never occurred to him, but it has now," Augustus said. "I invited her."

Call was impatient to get off, but Gus's remark stopped him. Gus was never one to do the usual, but this was stretching things, even for him.

"You done what?"

"Told him he ought to bring Lorie along," Augustus said. "She'd improve the company."

"I won't have it," Call said at once. "Goddamn you. You know better than that."

"Ain't you late for work?" Augustus asked. "I can't enjoy the night for all this jabbering."

Call decided it was some joke. Even Gus wouldn't go that far. "I'm going," he said. "You watch this end."

Augustus lay back, his head against his saddle. It was a clear night, the stars just beginning to appear. Needle, Bert, Pea, Deets and Dish were waiting to go to Mexico. The rest of the boys were holding the herd. Bol was peeing on the campfire, causing it to sputter. Call turned his horse and rode toward the river.

NEWT'S MIND had begun to dwell on the north for long stretches. Particularly at night, when he had nothing to do but ride slowly around and around the herd, listening to the small noises the bedded cattle made, on the sad singing of the Irishmen, he thought of the north, trying to imagine what it must be like.