Branded. That's what the McCains were. Moving south to Rio Blanco, Texas, before the War Betwen the States, they chose not to fight. For their hearts were with the North but they didn't want to shoot their neighbors. When the war ended, they were still called Yankee traitors and worse. Then young Trace McCain fell in love with Melanie Kendall, and he and his family were especially eager to make peace with everyone. But neither Melanie's father nor her brother nor anyone in the area would soften toward the McCains. Not until they were all threatened by the bloodthirsty bandit, El Gato, did the local people admit that those blasted Yankees made good allies. And top-notch fighters they were.
But though their new bonds of friendship were strong, their chances of surviving a fight with El Gato's cutthroat army were slender.