Zane Grey
Published: 2020-07-11
Total Pages: 292
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Robert Burton leads a solitary life in the desert as a gold prospector under the alias of Cameron. Burton is plagued by the demons of his past, but mainly the woman whom he wronged and disgraced. He encounters another man during his lonely sojourn through the desert, although he loathes to have anyone for company the two stay together. The older man discloses his identity as Jonas Warren, a man searching for his disgraced daughter who came West to start a new life when she found herself pregnant and the man she loved left her to disgrace. Burton confesses he is the man who shamed Nellie Warren, but he informs the aggrieved father that he had found Nellie and married her, thus giving their child a legitimate name. A truce is called, and Jonas forgives Burton. Unfortunately, the two men get taken by surprise by a sudden sandstorm. The two men take shelter under a rock shelf and Burton finds gold nuggets laying on the ground. Unfortunately, both men perish from the affects of the storm, but Burton is able to leave behind a note leaving half of the find to his daughter Nell Burton and the other half to whomever finds it. He also leaves his marriage certificate. Years later Richard 'Dick' Gale comes to the border town of Casita. He has come West to prove to his father that he can be a man and stand on his own two feet. Dick meets an old friend, cavalry officer George Thorne, not long after his arrival. Thorne enlists Gale's help in rescuing the woman he loves from the dangerous Mexican rebel leader Rojas. Gale's friend has fallen in love with Mercedes Castañeda, a beautiful aristocrat who had to escape Mexico after Rojas killed her father and tried to kidnap her. Rojas pursues the woman relentlessly and has followed her to Casita. Thorne encountered Mercedes after she had crossed the border and they fell instantly in love with one another. Gale agrees to help Thorne and Mercedes escape Casita and the clutches of Rojas. With the help of two cowboys Charlie Ladd and Jim Lash, Gale begins a fight in the bar of the hotel where Mercedes is staying and where Rojas is waiting to strike. He lunges on Rojas and knocks him out. In the ensuing chaos Gale escapes the building and meets up with Thorne and Mercedes. Thorne must leave Mercedes in the care of Gale since he must return to his regiment or face punishment. The two soon meet up with the cowboys Ladd and Lash, who after hearing Mercedes's story agree to get her to safety. After a difficult night of travel the four make it to Tom Belding's ranch in Forlorn River. Belding agrees to take Mercedes in and provide protection for her. He is not only a rancher but is a United States Immigration officer and is tasked with protecting the Mexican United States border. Belding hires Gale, Ladd and Lash as rangers whose job is to patrol the border. The men lead a rough life over the next few months due to Mexican rebels taking over Casita and crossing the border to steal horses and livestock. Gale falls in love with Tom Belding's stepdaughter Nell Burton. Her mother Nellie Warren Belding is worried about her daughter falling love with Gale since she does not want her to suffer the same fate as Nellie did at the hands of Robert Burton. The group is waiting for Thorne to join them, but as time passes he fails to arrive and Mercedes begins to grow ill with longing for her love. Nell decides to take matters into her own hands and sets out for the garrison in Casita to bring Thorne back to Mercedes. She discovers that he has been kidnapped by Rojas, who is trying to discover the location of Mercedes. Nell rallies the cavalry into rescuing Thorne and he is taken to Forlorn River to be reunited with the woman he loves. They are married as soon as he recovers from his traumas suffered at the hands of the rebel leader. Unfortunately, their happiness is short-lived when Rojas discovers that Mercedes is at the Belding Ranch.