Historically accurate, this novel treads its way back to the mid-19th century. Here we find our country embroiled in the tumultuous task of nation building. Texas had just been accepted as the 28th State and to protect it from a displeased Mexican government, General Zachary Taylor had some 3500 American troops guarding the southern border and assaulting important communities south of the Rio Grande. This assignment embodied intervals of both war and peace with an almost always unpredictable outcome. Not surprisingly, these transitional imponderables seemed to intensify nearly every emotion known to man. Our relatively young protagonist, JK, covered the entire gambit of these encounters with uncertain moments of loneliness and despair intermingled with eminent danger and intense fear. While frequently outnumbered, but employing the military genius of Zachary Taylor, JK survived a multitude of battles. Even more surprising, here in the heart of an adversarial country, he found himself deeply in love with a girl that he dreamed of taking home as his wife. Sadly, the ecstasy of this stormy romance was shattered by a cruel deception, and the most hurtful betrayal of a trust that could ever be imagined. About the Author Born in 1934 during the height of the Great Depression, Richard grew up on a prairie farm in southern Alberta, Canada. During those early years of rural life, he ran a winter trap line and enjoyed the privileges of hunting and fishing. As a teenager in pursuit of outdoor adventure he always sought summer employment in remote wilderness settings. This included Kinbasket Lake, British Columbia, the Foothills of Alberta and the isolation of northern Alberta's, Athabaska Oil Sands. Richard's childhood plans of becoming a commercial airline pilot were thwarted when it was discovered that his vision did not meet the standards of the day. As an alternative, he earned a degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Oklahoma. Following graduation he enjoyed successful employment within various venues of the petroleum industry. After a series of executive positions his career culminated with a partnership, "Thomson-Jensen Petroleum's Limited, Calgary Canada." As a partner and chief executive of this exploration vehicle it is not surprising that he became interested in the history of oil rich Texas. Having retired from the petroleum industry in 1987, Richard now resides in Midland, Texas. His first two novels "Don't Drink the Water" and "The Fur-lined Crypt" have received excellent reviews from the few who have read them.