Prairie Pawn tells the story of Paul Torridon, called White Thunder by the Cheyenne Indians holding him hostage. They believe that he cured Whistling Elks son from a menacing illness and brought rain when others had failed to do so. Though Paul has been rewarded with many riches, he still seems unhappy, and the Cheyenne chief decides to undertake a dangerous mission to kidnap Torridons sweetheart, Nancy Brett, from Fort Kendry. The Cheyennes believe that will make White Thunder happy enough to voluntarily stay with them.
In the title story, The Steel Box, Lew Sherry and Pete Lang accept an offer they simply cant resist. Oliver Wilton is willing to pay the cowboys $1,000 a day for ten days to protect him from danger that has him living in a state of terror. A seafaring man has arrived at the inn in town and has made no secret of the fact that hes come to settle a score with Wilton. In the meantime, Wiltons niece, for whom he manages a half-million dollar trust, has been seen target practicing with a gun equipped with a silencer. Oliver Wilton has reason to fear for his life, but can two unwitting cowboys save it?
With these two rich and detailed tales, Max Brand shows again why is he is regarded as one of the finest authors ever to work in the Western genre.
Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction that takes place in the old West. Westernsbooks about outlaws, sheriffs, chiefs and warriors, cowboys and Indiansare a genre in which we publish regularly. Our list includes international bestselling authors like Zane Gray and Louis LAmour, and many more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
