The Smoking Iron and Other Stories

A new bride faces questions about her marriage in the shadow of a prairie blizzard. A minister's decision to raise sheep in cattle country stirs up controversy among his new congregation. A spunky ranch girl matches wits with a thief. A World War II veteran struggles with wartime scars while assuming the responsibilities of the family ranch. And in the title story, a man is found shot beside a branding fire and a young rancher is accused of murder—but what crime was really committed there? If you enjoy classic Western short stories in the tradition of Dorothy M. Johnson, Elmer Kelton, and Louis L'Amour, you'll love these seven stories capturing the grit, gumption, and buoyant spirit of the Old West.