Chapter 14 Summary

Vernor, the historian who was hired to check the facts of Centennial, notes that he spent most of October 1973 searching for a person who was the epitome of the area and that he initially considers Nate Pearson, grandson of the Pearson who had been on that first cattle drive from Texas to Colorado, and then Manolo Marquez, descendant of Tranquilino. Looking for someone with deeper roots, Vernor finally settles on forty-six-year-old Paul Garrett, direct descendant of many of those who had lived and worked in Colorado, including Lame Beaver, Levi Zandt, Pasquinel and McKeag. Garrett has just been notified that he's to be in charge of the state's centennial celebration, which will occur in conjunction with the United States' celebration of two hundred years of independence. For a couple of days, Vernor goes with Paul as he travels to the far reaches of...