Blood oath: The story of Quincy Caine, who acquired a fear of guns and gunfire when his bride was killed in an Indian attack on their stagecoach. That fear places Caine at a clear disadvantage when he's involved in a railroad right-of-way dispute. Night Riders: Tully Gale was chasing his spirited mustang when he happened upon a dam--and realized it was holding up the only source of water for miles. Horse trader Sugar Lagg and his crew had put it there. They wanted the land, and were willing to cause a drought to get it.

Night riders: Drifter Turlly Gale originally arrived at Splinter Rock to see Louise again. He purchased a spirited mustang from Sugar Lagg, only to be thrown and have to chase the mustang into the malpais where Lagg has his wild horse camp, and finds out that Lagg has dammed up Splinter Creek, the chief source of water for the ranching community and artificially creating drought conditions. The explosive situation is further complicated when Tully observes a clandestine meeting between Daimler, Lagg, and Ellery Vines in a deadfall in Splinter Rock.