Cattlemen ride alone across the open range under the deadly aim of roving desperadoes--Gamblers stake their fortunes and their lives on a deck of cards--Strong-willed senoritas seek independence through an enticing combination of beauty, audacity, and spirit--Lawmen and outlaws walk the same dusty streets and speak a common language: Colt, Winchester, Smith & Wesson. Gritty, tough, and unflinchingly authentic, here is the West as it really was: a land where for every friend there is an enemy, for every handshake a fist, for every dispute a resolution--usually in an explosive showdown of blood and bullets. In these remarkable tales, Louis L'Amour--like the very heroes he depicts--blazes a trail across the American frontier and takes us on an unforgiving journey into the heart of our western heritage. From the Paperback edition.