Rufe Tolliver's troubles started when he decided he'd rather not be one of Ben Gregory's hired gun-hands in Gregory's range-grabbing skirmishes with the nearby Hashims. Although Tolliver and Ben's daughter, Lurelle, planned to marry soon, the hot-tempered old rancher exploded, yelling that Tolliver had secretly sold out to the Hashims for more money, and ordering him off the ranch. As for his four months' pay, he could whistle for it