A gambler, Jake Hollander, acquires two orphans he must supervise on their way to a New Mexico mining town. He is coerced into staying at the town for a month as the town marshal, by the town's newspaper publisher, a "friend" from the past, and the man's sister, a former romantic interest, we surmise. Found this on the Book Exchange shelf at school. Won't be going back, too much cussin'!