"After a horse drags him through the countryside, Israel McKenna awakes bruised and battered in a field in Pancake Valley, Colorado. He can recall where he came from and where he was going, but the memory of how he came to be on the Pancake homestead eludes him. Hes certain he did something wrong to deserve such a harsh punishmentand so is the beautiful woman who reluctantly comes to his aid"--Page [4] of cover.