Young Roy Shuster served five years in the Yuma, Arizona, prison, and when he’s released on December 24, 1889, he revels in freedom at last. A local man, an ex-convict, takes him in and teaches him lovemaking.<br><br>But Ray can’t abide the prison’s proximity and moves on to Tombstone where, despite a growing interest in a rancher named Clay Bowman, he causes more trouble than good. Can Clay see past Roy’s youthful impulsiveness, even when it lands him in jail?

Riding High

It was dark when Marshal Seal came out. “You can go in for a bit,” he said.


Clay sat on a bunk, looking down at the floor. “Clay?” I said, but he didn’t turn to me so I said my bit. “I am sorry for my actions, more sorry than you can know. I don’t know what got into me. When I saw that fellow on my horse I just went crazy. He took all I had and I meant to take it back. I didn’t consider him having a gun.”


This struck low, rendering me silent, as I guess was intended. After some minutes, I stepped in again. “I don’t know what to say beyond being sorry which I truly am. I am also grateful you came to my rescue. It says a lot about you being a caring fellow, about your caring for me.”


Chapter 8