So begins the story of a proud man named Thomas Canfield. He is descended from the earliest Texas pioneers and has inherited their courage and fortitude. To the Mexican citizens of Stonehill, Texas, he is "El GavilÔan"—the Hawk—so called for the fire in his eyes, especially when confronted by the likes of Branch Isom. This insolent, dangerous newcomer intends to build his fortune at Canfield's expense but underestimates his opponent. When a deadly feud ensues, the town of Stonehill heads toward a day of reckoning and the creation of a legend.