The Story
Bold and talented U.S. Deputy Marshal Ward Stockton is headed into the majestic Wind River Mountains (the Windies) of Wyoming Territory after the outlaw Casey Waite and his gang. In the rain he saves the merchant Osborne Chatterton from being lynched by three outlaws who are after his beautiful daughter, Sylvia Chatterton. He kills two of them but lets the third one, who seems to be incompetent, escape. Chatterton’s cantankerous mother Hortence is also with the merchant. And they are all joined by Stockton’s friend Rap, an Arapaho he employs as a tracker in the mountains. Rap has corralled the third outlaw, who turns out to be just 15.
They all go to nearby Lander. There Stockton decides to give the boy a second chance instead of turning him over to the city marshal. He calls the boy Pete and sends him on his way.
Stockton finds the Chattertons in the bank. The bank is robbed by Waite and some of his gang, and they kidnap Sylvia as they make their escape from a shoot-out with Stockton, the local marshal, and Rap.
Stockton, along with Rap, heads into the mountains to try to rescue Sylvia and capture Waite. Chatterton and his mother also head into the mountains, which complicates Stockton’s task. And he and Rap are joined by Pete, with mixed results. Stockton’s challenge is made still more arduous as Waite is joined by renegade Arapaho and Shoshone from the Wind River Indian Reservation north of Lander.
The chase becomes a game of cat and mouse, of running fights and stand-offs, and of the shifting fortunes of conflict, all leading up to a violent climax with unexpected results for Stockton.
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This book was originally published in a hardback library edition by Avalon Books. I revised and enhanced the story for e-book publication.
