Booklist Review

Published orginally as a magazine serial in 1924, this classic western tale of a mysterious man, the beautiful woman he rescues from certain death, and the nasty ranch foreman who threatens to come between them betrays its origins with a distinctly episodic structure. That's fine, though, because Horton, who was born around 1885 and whose last published book appears to be 1935's The Six-Shooter Kid, was a real pro. Channing, Horton's version of the archetypal stranger who comes to town, is a subtle and multilayered character, and Hope, the woman he rescues, is about as far from the typical damsel in distress as you could imagine; in her self-assured behavior and outspoken manner, she seems remarkably contemporary, and she gives this western, written more than eight decades ago, a surprisingly modern feel. OK, maybe Brood, the ranch foreman, is a bit stereotypical, but he's written with Horton's usual gusto, and he's just so darn despicable that you can't help enjoying him. A fine novel from a writer who is, sadly, barely known outside western fans of a certain age.--Pitt, David Copyright 2009 Booklist