Herbert Patterson

A model suspected of selling bathing-suit designs to her employer's competition becomes involved in murder.

Loss of his wife, his land and his cattle forces rancher Cliff Shanks into the rough life of a gold prospector.

An immigrant blacksmith's house is burned down, and he rejects Matt's offer to help bring in the arsonists.

Trail boss Gil Favor is faced with losing his entire herd because of a swindle perpetrated by the boss of an earlier cattle drive. The Sedalia-bound herd is stopped by irate Kansans who want to impound the drive. Favor learns that a highly respected trail boss named Thad Clemens had formed a cattle drive with stock belonging to local citizens and had not returned with their money after the sale was made. Favor, in an attempt to find Clemens, discovers he is in the company of a Miss Katie, beautiful operator of a gambling establishment known as the "Painted Lady."

A rancher down on his luck, but up on his whiskey, persuades Gil Favor to allow him to travel with the herd as far as Colorado. As a result of foolish self-indulgence, Lije Crowning has fallen on hard times and pleads with trail boss Gil Favor, an old friend, to include in his herd the few remaining cattle from Lije's once impressive ranch. Gil realizes Lije's cattle are querencias, pasture animals virtually impossible to handle on the trail -- but, for old time's sake, he consents. Crowning, it turns out, is an even bigger problem than his knot-headed beeves. His new boots prevent him from carrying out his work; he suffers a twisted knee when he goes after a maverick bull; but worst of all, he turns over a fresh bottle of whiskey to tired, overworked Jim Quince. His total actions bring one (later proved to be unfortunate) reaction from Gil -- Crowning and his cows must leave the drive.

A doctor mistrusted because she is a woman, fights prejudice, men, a quack and the law to save the life of a wounded drover. Trail boss Gil Favor and his ramrod, Rowdy Yates, forced to choose between a medical quack and a woman doctor to save the life of a badly-wounded drover, Harv Carter, reluctantly pick Dr. Louise Amadon. Nearly everyone in Haverstown mistrusts her because she is a woman. If Carter dies, she will be run out of town by forces aroused by the quack, Prof. Daniel Pearson. Even Rowdy, whose life Carter saved, is suspicious. When it appears Carter will die, he brings the sheriff to claim the body and to arrest her. But Dr. Amadon's operation is successful. However, one of her other patients, Loretta Opel, wife of Haverstown's mayor does die and Gil, Rowdy, Wishbone and Jim Quince must decide whether to protect her or let her be hanged by an angry mob led by Prof. Pearson.