The luck of San Miguel

The dust‑laden Oregon hills hum with the low churn of cattle as the fall roundup draws to a close. Cowboys spill out of the corral, pockets heavy with cash, already planning an evening of wine, women, and cards. Foreman Dell Stewart, part owner of the Double Circle, quietly hands each man his wages, aware that the money will disappear as quickly as the summer heat. The rhythm of the ranch fades into the distant honk of geese heading south, hinting at an early winter.

At the bunkhouse, the lanky cowboy known as Blue Snow reads a terse letter from his estranged father, the Old Man of Sunset, Arizona. The note summons him home after six years of silence, reopening a bitter feud that began with an ill‑fated romance and a hasty escape. As the wind rattles the chaps on his boots, Blue wrestles with the choice between the restless life of the range and the uncertain promise of reconciliation.