Never saner

Ike Ward is convinced he has caught neighboring rancher Phil Hughes stealing his calves, and he is determined to settle the matter the old-fashioned way. After composing a fiery death challenge, Ike heads into town, certain that his warning will make a lasting impression. Unfortunately, his prized .45 chooses that very morning to fail him.

While Ike waits for the gunsmith to send the weapon to Denver, his bravado begins to collide with inconvenient facts. He mails the challenge, invents excuses for his urgent trip home, and hurries back toward the ranch to secure his backup gun—all while imagining the showdown that may be waiting for him. Set against a dusty Western landscape, this lively comic tale follows a hot-tempered cowboy whose confidence may be considerably sturdier than his plans. Expect colorful frontier characters, dry humor, and a steadily tightening tangle of misunderstandings as Ike tries to prove he is fearless, capable, and very much in control.