The Power of the Dog

The narrator begins this chapter with a very brief synopsis of how the US government mistreated Indigenous populations in the early 1900s. Among these Indigenous people was Edward Nappo, the son of the last chief. He and his wife live on the reservation with their young boy of about 11-12 years old. Edward tells his son stories about his grandfather and his proud heritage. Edward aspires to take his son some 200 miles to his ancestral land, which happens to be at the mountain always in view from the Burbank ranch. As the father and son pair finally near the base of the mountain, they are spotted by Phil. Phil swiftly orders the father to retreat and return to the reservation. The father offers a bribe to Phil, a box of gloves his wife made by hand. Phil, who does not wear gloves, refuses the bribe and more emphatically orders the father to leave. Humiliated in front of his son, the father obeys Phil’s directives and starts his return trip.

Back at the ranch, George and Rose discuss planting trees in the yard as a way of sprucing up the property. While Rose is out for a walk later, Peter approaches and after a brief conversation confronts her about her distrust and fear of Phil.