The Dead Cut — Tony Masero

A violent Western that won't let up.



Sometimes you just gotta quit.

That's what Sam Trask did. It isn't that the going got tough; during his service he saw enough cruelty to curdle anyone's blood. But after three years of raiding with ‘Doody's Devils' and rubbing up against a barbaric son-of-a-bitch called Lloyd Cane it's time to take leave before his senses do.

Sam heads into the wild southwest, down where the awful stench of death and destruction isn't so prevalent â€" or so it seems. With a dead horse under him and time on his hands, Sam takes respite at the Carter Ranch.

There, he's smack up against a fine looking woman with more attitude than a thoroughbred and that isn't all there is to contend with.

The South is starving and a drive of a few thousand head of longhorn beef will alleviate the situation. But before Sam can mount his pony the war comes back and starts knocking on his door again.

Not only are the Kiowa taking an unseemly interest in the cattle but also when the lady's gentleman returns from the war things really start hotting up. Lloyd Cane and his crew aren't far behind and he's got a score to settle with Sam. One that can only be paid with the deadliest cut of all.