This section recounts the immediate aftermath of the horses’ escaping into the countryside. Henry Armstid is discovered amidst the trash in the feed lot with his leg broken. He is carried to Mrs. Littlejohn’s, who sends for Will Varner, a veterinarian who also practices medicine on people. Mrs. Littlejohn maintains that “a man ain’t so different from a mule, come long come short. Except maybe a mule’s got more sense.” Her comments are apt given the men’s gullibility at the auction and her own actions during the sale. Throughout the story, she has seemed to be a no-nonsense woman, who sets about her chores and doesn’t get suckered into Flern and the Texan’s scheme. As the next section shows, she is a foil for Mrs. Armstid.
Constantly in the background, the horses are heard running across fields and bridges. Henry feels the pain from his broken leg—and from Will Varner’s not using any “chloryfoam” to set the leg—and begins screaming. Along with Mrs. Littlejohn, we do not feel much pity for Henry’s suffering because he more or less deserves what he gets.
During the entire episode, nothing is heard from Flem Snopes. In fact, he hasn’t been seen since the auction.
