Nate Champion's humble beginnings in Texas prepared him for a life with horses and cattle. Though a well-known horse trainer in his own time, he holds the simple aspiration of running his own cattle ranch, a dream he carries to Wyoming Territory as the Johnson County Range War drags him into its clutches and climaxes in one of the most impressive last stands of American history. This book follows Nate's formative years in Round Rock, Texas, where he makes his reputation as a competent cowboy, experiences heartbreak, and forms lasting friendships that weave into his future in unexpected ways. Like all youth of his time, he learns the hard-won lessons of experience as he encounters both the good and the corrupt, including the notorious Sam Bass gang.