Absaroka Valley

by Lauran Paine

Samuel Patton lost his wife to lung fever two years ago. Now, suffering from lung fever himself and closer to eternity every day, he is traveling south through the mountains with his small son and daughter, hoping somewhere in this savage land he can find a good home for them before time runs out. When the two kids find an unconscious man, the three tend to his wounds, care for his horse, and load him into their wagon. Samuel finds a cache of money in the saddlebags of the man the children have named Mr. Black, and he is certain they have taken an outlaw under wing. When the man comes round, he tells them his name is Jess and he can guide them through the thoroughfare pass and on to the town of Hereford in Absaroka Valley, a cowman's paradise in the mighty mountain range, where he was born. Against his better judgment, Samuel agrees. Only a stone's throw from Hereford, Samuel is too exhausted to push on and so they make one last camp. It is a decision that nearly kills his daughter when a stampede runs through their camp that night. The Pattons find themselves taking refuge in the midst of the valley where ranchers have declared war on encroaching squatters.

123 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2019

About the author

aka John Armour, Reg Batchelor, Kenneth Bedford, Frank Bosworth, Mark Carrel, Claude Cassady, Richard Clarke, Richard Dana, J F Drexler, Troy Howard, Jared Ingersol, John Kilgore, Hunter Liggett, J K Lucas, John Morgan (many more).

Lauran Bosworth Paine (born February 25, 1916 in Duluth, Minnesota – 2003 in California) was an American writer of Western fiction. Paine wrote over 900 books, including hundreds of Westerns as well as romance, science fiction, and mystery novels. He also wrote a number of non-fiction books on the Old West, military history, witchcraft, and other subjects.

His apprenticeship as a Western writer came about through the years he spent in the livestock trade, rodeos, and even motion pictures where he served as an extra because of his expert horsemanship.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deciding to try a Western for a change of pace I selected this title mostly because it is where the Longmire series is set.

A story of a dying widower with 2 small children is in search of a place where he can settle down and his kids will grow up safe after he is gone.
They stumble into a situation where they think they are caring for an outlaw but in fact he is a wealthy rancher in Absaroka Wyoming.

I think I enjoyed hearing about the author more than the actual story.Lauran Paine has written over 1000 stories under many alias names and had a very colorful life. I may have to look up some more of this stories.

[K Saju · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, quick read. Good reading for that train ride

[Audra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author. It was a slow start for me but ended up being good, similar to a western movie. Normally, im not a western book reader but this was good.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great Western story look forward to finding more by this author.