Barnabus "Pronto" Pike overcomes cattle rustlers in "Old West" Montana. While in jail for fighting in a bar, Barnabus "Pronto" Pike, meets his new partner Eddie Holt. Pronto is an experienced cow puncher and ranch hand.
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Pronto is a "good guy", however, one thing he can't resist is a good fight. Eddie is a black boxer in the old west and has a few tricks to teach Pike.
Riding the rails, looking for work, Pike and Holt find themselves a job punching cattle for Bill Justin at the Hanging Woman Creek line camp. Facing a hard Montana winter alone , the two men begin teaching each other. Eddie teaches Pronto to box, Pronto teaches Eddie all about cattle ranching.
While watching over the herd, it didn't take long to discover that they were in for more than they had bargained for. Cattle were missing and brands were being changed.
Pronto finds a man that has been murdered by someone with very strange horse tracks and goes to town to report it. While there he meets Ann Farley, the sister of Philo Farley, an Irish homesteader that has strong military ties in his home country. Ann had heard that Philo was in trouble and asked Pronto to take her to her brother.
Granville Stuart is a powerful rancher in Miles City and he sees Philo Farley as a nuisance that needs to be driven out.
When Pronto and Holt won't join forces with Stuart, they are falsely accused of rustling Bill Justin's cattle and are fired from the ranch they had risked their lives to protect.
Fearing for the safety of Ann and her brother, Pronto goes to check on them only to find that they had been burned out and presumed dead. He finds them and discovers that Philo has been badly wounded by Granville Stuart and his men.
They know that their only chance is to get back to town and let everyone know that Stuart is behind the rustling and murders.
Stuart finds out that his first attempt was unsuccessful and on his second attempt kills Eddie Holt and Philo Farley. He also believes that Ann and Pronto are dead.
When Pronto unexpectedly returns to town, Stuart accuses him of killing Ann and her brother and has him arrested. At the trial Ann shows up and tells the truth resulting in the fall of Granville Stuart.
Philo had left his ranch and property to Ann. Pronto and Ann marry and start a new life together.
Best part of story, including ending:
This story is a classic "good vs.evil", white "hat vs. black hat" western.
Best scene in story:
At the trial, Granville Stuart is accusing Pronto of killing Philo and Ann Farley. He has no idea that Ann is still alive. When she walks into the courtroom, she not only clears Pronto's good name but she convicts her brother's killer in one fell swoop!
Opinion about the main character:
Pronto is a man that you can count on to always do the right thing and he will never give up no matter what.
My favorite quote from him …"About the worst thing a man can do is to let a dream die."
