In Lonesome Dove, Texas former Texas Rangers Augustus 'Gus' McCrae and Woodrow F. Call are spending their time not doing much of anything. They have something of a reunion when old friends Jake Spoon and Joshua Deets arrive. They've not seen each other for something going on 10 years. Jake has an idea: they should round up a herd of cattle and drive them north where they could make their fortune. McCrae is a bit slow to come around the idea but they're soon crossing the border rustling horses and cattle that have been stolen by a Mexican bandit. By the time they're ready to set out, Jake Spoon has had a change of heart. He's been carrying on with Lonesome Dove's only saloon girl, Lorena Wood, and he's promised to take her to San Francisco. They're traveling more or less in the same direction so they're all going to be seeing each other quite a bit. The men on the cattle drive face long days and bad weather. One of them will not survive the first river crossing.

With the loss of Sean O'Brien, the cook refuses to cross the river and Woodrow and Gus find themselves in their old stomping grounds of San Antonio looking for someone to prepare their meals. On the trail, Jake Spoon abandons Lorena temporarily to go off gambling. Gus visits her but is far more concerned when an old foe, Blue Duck, appears. Blue Duck rides off but later returns and takes Lorena hostage. She has a very hard time of it. Meanwhile, Roscoe Brown is trying to catch up with July Johnson in Texas. He finds him but not before being joined by a young woman and coming face to face with two bandits. They all meet up with Gus and July helps Gus locate Lorena. It's not so good for those July's left behind at his own camp however.