
On a sweltering summer afternoon in the dusty prairie town of Sebastian, a young wheat farmer named Prescott rides into the settlement, his weather‑worn hat and simple tweed suit marking him as a man of honest, steady resolve. The landscape is a stark sweep of green and ochre, edged by grain elevators and a rattling railway, while the town’s narrow wooden streets buzz with the aftermath of a violent clash that has left many locals bruised, their faces bearing the marks of recent trouble. Inside the smoky, dim‑lit hotel, Prescott finds a community still reeling—immigrants, Irish and French Canadians alike—who whisper about swords, broken teeth, and the uneasy presence of Northwest troopers.
As he settles into a spartan room, the atmosphere crackles with tension and curiosity, hinting at deeper disputes over land, loyalty, and the fragile peace that holds the town together. Prescott’s calm demeanor and keen eye for conflict set the stage for a story that explores the harsh realities of frontier life, the bonds of a hard‑pressed community, and the choices that will shape their future.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (524K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net
Release date
2008-06-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1866–1945
Known for adventure stories shaped by real experience, this English novelist wrote prolifically about Canada, frontier life, and the wider British Empire. His books blend rugged settings, hard choices, and the steady momentum of popular early 20th-century fiction.
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