Comanche is a saloon stop in The Territory where Washburn considers his next move within The Set. It is both a place to pause and a point in the route he chooses: rather than retrace his way to the Wells Fargo Station and leave, he plans to cross the territory and depart through Brimstone in its extreme northeast corner.

Setting and Route

After returning to the saloon, Washburn sits alone with whiskey and a cigar, thinking about Little Joe Potter riding north from the south and likely expecting to find him in Comanche. He considers the safer alternative of riding back the way he came to the Wells Fargo Station, but rejects it in favor of a complete tour of The Territory. His plan makes Comanche one waypoint in a deliberate, less predictable route across The Set.

The Saloon Encounter

The saloon’s quiet is broken when a freckle-faced boy approaches Washburn suddenly and finds himself at gunpoint. Washburn lowers the hammer, holsters his .44, and returns to his chair; after the boy explains that he only wanted to express his admiration, Washburn dismisses him. The episode turns the saloon from a place of private calculation into a public setting where Washburn’s reputation draws attention—and where a careless approach can provoke immediate danger.

News from the Bar

At the bar, Washburn refuses more whiskey and asks Curly whether young people can be prevented from acting foolishly. Their brief exchange ends with Curly passing along word that Natchez Parker would like to see him. The message gives Comanche renewed significance: Washburn’s intended departure is interrupted by a summons from a figure connected to the conflict awaiting him.