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Lonesome Dove Chapter 21-25 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • Jake wakes up and finds Lorena already up. He wonders if he can scare her away from going and leave without her.
  • But Lorena gives Jake Gus's fifty dollars, and he doesn't try to scare her away.
  • Jake leaves to buy Lorena a mount, and she packs for the trip.
  • While Lorena's gathering all her favorite things, Xavier, the owner of the Dry Bean, begs her not to go.
  • Xavier says he'll marry Lorena. And if she won't have him, he'll burn down the saloon.
  • Lorena refuses Xavier. It's his place, and he can burn it if he wants to.
  • Xavier wants one last roll in the hay with Lorena, so he gives her a huge wad of cash, and she agrees to it.
  • Afterward, she hides the money. This is a secret she has to keep from Jake.
  • Lorena and Jake ride into camp, and all the men are shocked because Lorena is wearing pants. A woman in pants? What's next? A woman with a job that doesn't involve prostitution?
  • Augustus helps Lorena dismount, which makes her sad. First, she has to use his money to buy a horse. Now she's relying on him to help her off it.
  • Gus invites Lorie and Jake to eat breakfast.
  • Meanwhile, Newt wonders how far away Montana is, and Call regrets not educating Newt better, because he thinks north is just a direction, not a place.
  • Call tells Newt they're going a "sight farther" (22.65) than San Antonio. That's an understatement.
  • Augustus rides the wagon back to town from the camp while Bolivar decides whether or not to keep going with the rest of the men.
  • Gus stops by Jake and Lorie's along the way. Lorie is cooking, with no help whatsoever from Jake. Big surprise.
  • While gathering supplies in Lonesome Dove, Gus talks to Xavier, who says he'll come for Lorie if Jake gets killed.
  • That won't happen, according to Gus.
  • Gus ends up with a supply he didn't expect: Lippy the piano player, who hitches a ride in the wagon. Too bad he can't bring his piano.
  • Newt can barely sleep. A cattle drive is more exciting than Christmas. We don't even know if he knows what Christmas is.
  • As the drive begins, all the men have their fears. Asper is afraid of drowning. Dish kind of hopes he'll save Lorena from a bear. And everyone is wary of a rowdy bull that joined the herd when no one was looking.
  • The men are ready to drive 2600 cattle "[a]nd two pigs" (25.13) from Texas to Montana.
  • Call and Gus discuss their fears, wondering if everyone will make the entire journey. It's doubtful.
  • Call rides on, but Gus doesn't follow. Gus watches the sun set one last time near Lonesome Dove.