Montana Territory, 1886 ?The last thing this territory needs is Indian trouble, or a bunch of nervous settlers demanding protection by the Army. As United States Marshal for the territory, I figure to send Jeff a little help...I figure to send him you,? he said. U.S. Deputy Marshal Merlin Fanshaw arrives at the Crow Indian Reservation with orders to restore law and order. But a powerful rancher and his son block the deputy's efforts in order to retain their rigid control over the nearby settlement of Medicine Lodge. When a shocking murder rocks the town, tension and violence escalates between the Crow Indians and the settlers. Fanshaw must bring in the killer before an innocent man loses his life'or he forfeits his own. ?A particularly rewarding novel written by one of the finest Western novelists of our times. Stan Lynde's novels are laced with wry humor, thoughts on the art of living and growing, toughness and tenderness, and the keenest understanding of human nature I've ever seen in fiction.' ?Richard S. Wheeler, Winner of the 2001 Owen Wister Award ?Lynde's pleasant, genuine narration, tinged with both wit and grit, carries the narrative; the authenticity, country humor, and vibrant characters all make for a warmly entertaining read. Satisfying western fare, in the vein of Louis L?Amour.' ?Kirkus Discovery Reviews 2006 Spur Award Finalist in Western Novel Category 2006 Independent Publisher Book Award Winner, West Mountain?Best Regional Fiction