Old Peter Partridge?called Puma for reasons no one could recall?had been working for the Yellowstone Outfit for seven years, could double as camp cook, bone-setter, hostler, and tally-man, and he was undeniably a good hand with a horse or a rope. Just as winter sets in, Puma is mysteriously shot while riding the Yellowstone range. He just doesn't know who shot him?or why. After recovering from his near-murder, Puma goes out in search of the unknown assassin. However, what he finds is not a lone killer but a nest of fierce outlaws with a dark and bizarre scheme to break up the Yellowstone cattle outfit.