Val had come to Montana to marry a cowboy named Manley, envisioning a life of wedded bliss, freedom, and was anticipating happiness in her adopted part of the country. She would soon learn that the winters could be cruel and lonesome for a woman living on a ranch which was situated miles from the nearest neighbor. She would learn that her husband spent most of his time drinking. And she would learn that everybody has their own methods of dealing with the harshness and loneliness of the land she has come to call home. Val is determined to re-invent her notions about men and women, her new duties in life, and life as it existed in the relatively new West. At every turn, her will and her strength are tested. Would she find the strength within herself to overcome the hardships, or would she succumb to the reality of her surroundings? - Summary by Roger Melin
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Chapters
- Chapter 1
The Arrival of Val
25:26 - Chapter 2
Well-Meant Advice
23:32 - Chapter 3
A Lady in a Temper
17:37 - Chapter 4
The 'Shivaree'
26:05 - Chapter 5
Cold Spring Ranch
22:24 - Chapter 6
Manley's Fire Guard
22:23 - Chapter 7
Val's New Duties
22:03 - Chapter 8
The Prairie Fire
24:23 - Chapter 9
Kent to the Rescue
26:35 - Chapter 10
Desolation
27:01 - Chapter 11
Val's Awakening
23:42 - Chapter 12
A Lesson in Forgiveness
23:48 - Chapter 13
Arline Gives a Dance
29:57 - Chapter 14
A Wedding Present
13:20 - Chapter 15
A Compact
30:04 - Chapter 16
Manley's New Tactics
08:31 - Chapter 17
Val Becomes an Author
18:02 - Chapter 18
Val's Discovery
18:45 - Chapter 19
Kent's Confession
32:24 - Chapter 20
A Blotched Brand
08:07 - Chapter 21
Val Decides
17:51 - Chapter 22
A Friend in Need
22:52 - Chapter 23
Caught!
22:31 - Chapter 24
Retribution
13:10