SILVER TRAIL PA

Attwenty-two, John Signal is old enough to have been in a shooting scrape. It wasa fair fight, but the man he killed was well-connected. Fleeing Signal arrives in the mining town of Monument, calling himself JohnAlias. Almostimmediately his horse is stolen. He learns the name of thethief, Sam Langley, and even where he is. Sheriff Peter Ogden, rather thanpursuing the thief, Alias he will make him a deputy if he succeeds in retrieving his horse. Alias manages to get his horseback, but not without violence. Sheriff Ogden makes good on his promise whileexplaining the local power structure. The Bone faction is behind most of the crimes inthe district. On the other side is Town Marshal Fitzgerald Eagan, his brothers,and consumptive gambler and gunman Major Paul Harkness. Of the two, SheriffOgden is partial to the Bones faction and advises Alias to follow suit. ButAlias is impressed with Eagan, especially when the marshal sides with Alias ina gunfight with two assassins from the Bones faction. Alias's escape from thetrap makes the Bones faction more determined than ever to do him in and the Eagans-whoturn out to be just as crooked and bloodthirsty as the Bones faction-moreanxious than ever to have him join them.