The son of an outlaw has to choose between following his father's path or being an honest man. After becoming orphaned by an Apache attack, Mike Bastion is found and adopted by notorious outlaw leader Ben Curry.
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Curry is not your typical outlaw. Though meticulous planning and a smart business sense he has built a crime empire that has no rival in the old West. His one regret in life is that he had no son to pass his empire to when he retired. Mike Bastion became that son.
From a young age he was taught everything he needed to know about being an outlaw. He learned from the master and took to his lessons well, however he had yet to actually commit a crime. His name was still clear with the law. Mike needed to decide between honoring the man that gave him everything, by becoming an outlaw or being an honest man and turning his back on the man that raised him.
In a previous robbery, Curry stole $60,000 from the town Of Mora New Mexico after carefully planning to get sheriff Tyrell Sackett out of town. Sackett teamed up with another sheriff, Borden Chantry, to find Curry.
Kern Perin had been Curry's right hand man for years. When he found out Bastion was going to be taking over, he was angered and decided to strike out on his own. A couple of the other outlaws agreed and Curry's gang breaks into factions each making their own plans to take over.
Perin Had Curry pinned down in his hideout and then tied Bastion up. He then went down to raid Ben Curry's ranch, planning on killing Curry's family that he had kept secret from everyone up til now.
Bastion escapes and realizes the life of an outlaw is not for him. His only thought is to protect the man that raised him and stop Perin.
Bastion beats Perrin to the ranch and kills him before he can harm the family however one of Perin's men, Ducrow, kidnaps Juliana, Curry's daughter.
Bastion and Dru, Curry's other daughter, rescue Juliana and return back to Curry's hide out. They then confront the fact that their father is indeed and outlaw. Upon their return they discover that Curry and his closest men are still alive and that they had defeated the rebels that had turned on their father.
Another band of Curry's renegade Outlaws try to rob the bank in town but Borden Chantry and Tyrell Sackett are ready and waiting for them and stop the robbery.
With his outlaw gang disbanded, Curry simply retires leaving Bastion to chose his own life.
Mike Bastion after deciding not to follow in Perrin's footsteps falls in love with Dru and they make plans to spend the rest of their lives together.
Best part of story, including ending:
This is another great western. Even when given the worst circumstances, L'amour's main characters always do the right thing.
Best scene in story:
In order to save Curry's family, Bastion has to face his fears and actually has to traverse a canyon by "shimming" across two cables that connect both sides of the canyon with a 500 ft. drop into the river below!
Opinion about the main character:
Even when given the worst circumstances, L'amour's main characters always do the right thing. Tho by all rights Bastion should be "bad"….he 's not and loyally saves the day!
