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"Monte Segundo and Rosa Bustamonte depart from the ... Rancho de la Osa ranch in Sasabe, Arizona, and head east to the ranch of John Slaughter where they intend to take possession of much-needed breeding stock. Unknown to them, due to the prevailing tensions with Mexico, the U.S. army has stationed a military garrison on the Slaughter ranch. Unfortunately, one of the officers of the garrison, having been present at General Pershing's court-martial trial of Monte Segundo, recognizes Segundo and spreads the word that Segundo is believed to be a traitor. The officer, Lieutenant Jones, despises Segundo but when the aristocrat Marzel Appleton disappears in Guadalupe Canyon, Jones is forced to employ Segundo as a tracker. Jones leads a platoon of soldiers into the canyon to locate Appleton but discovers she has been kidnapped, likely by Mexican bandits. Soon, four Mexican rustlers are captured by the soldiers, and though brutally interrogated, they deny any knowledge of the woman. Convinced the rustlers are lying, Jones has Segundo backtrack with the Mexicans. However, instead of finding Appleton, the search party discovers that she was not taken by the Mexicans but instead was abducted by Apaches, remnants of Geronimo's band called the Netdahe. Even more astounding, among those Indians is a white Apache, a blond known to the Mexicans as El Guerrero Guero or the blond warrior. And it is immediately assumed the blond is in fact Charley McComas who was captured in 1883 at age six. As destiny would have it, it is also discovered that Norroso, an Apache scout who stabbed Rosa and then deserted General Pershing's army, is also one of the renegade Apaches in the band, a man Segundo swore he would kill if he got the chance. Segundo was orphaned at the age of six, saw his parents murdered by Apaches, and was then was thrown into a cactus thicket and left to die. Somehow the trauma of that atrocity left Segundo with virtually no memories of that day or anything else about his childhood. He was aware, however, that he had no sympathy for Apaches. His primary goal now is to kill Norroso. If possible, he will rescue Appleton but should McComas get in the way, Segundo makes it clear the blond will die as readily as Norroso or any other Apache. In the mountains above Guadalupe Canyon Segundo finds Appleton hanging over a cliff suspended by a rope that is tied to a dead tree. The more Appleton screams and struggles, the more the tree slides toward the edge of the cliff. Segundo, holding his pistol in one hand, grabs the rope with the other but the rope has been greased. He must holster his pistol and use both hands, leaving him defenseless. As soon as he does, Norroso appears intent on killing Segundo. However, Norroso is suddenly shot and falls dead. The blond appears and takes Segundo's pistol but makes no effort to kill Segundo, and Segundo pulls Appleton to safety. The blond calls himself Ah-toe-nay. A few minutes later, Segundo's memories return. Ah-toe-nay is Anthony, his brother"-- Provided by publisher. Read More |
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