The Pursuit of Murieta — Thomas D. Clagett

It's 1853. The notorious bandit Joaquin Murieta and his outlaw gang have ravaged the infant state of California for three years. Now, Murieta has had enough and wants to return to Mexico. Skirting the adobe town of Los Angeles, he has no idea that a band of California Rangers led by Ambrose Quick, a politically ambitious man, are after the killer of a deputy sheriff. They believe that murderer is Murieta. After an exhausting chase the Rangers grievously wound Murieta, but he refuses to tell them his name or anything else--until the brandy they give him for the pain loosens his tongue and he tells them he didn't kill any deputy but he is Joaquin Murieta. But not all of the Rangers believe him...