Guild

Guild is an ex-lawman with a terrible past. While stalking a dangerous outlaw, he saw the barrel of a shotgun and fired first. Unfortunately, it was held by a young girl who was left alone by her parents and told to protect their house. She was killed and while Guild was found not guilty by the jury, it is something that hangs heavy over him. He has now taken up bounty hunting and the story opens with him bringing in a man named Maloney. His goal is the town of Danton, and when he arrives, both he and his prisoner are hot and tired. Being of an agreeable sort, Guild buys both of them a bucket of beer and they drink it together before he takes Maloney to the Sheriff and collects his bounty. The Sheriff turns out to be a man named Baines, they know each other, but Guild soon learns that Baines has become soft in his job and influenced by the Cord family. While essentially honest, the Cord family holds sway over the region and the power structure in the town generally answers to their call. Annie is a young girl who is beautiful, but with a tragic past. She was sold to a brothel when she was approximately ten years old and was rescued by Earle Hammond, a circus magician. Annie became his assistant in the magic acts and now they are also in Danton. When Hammond is falsely implicated in the killing of a bank clerk, Guild becomes involved in his case, largely because he finds Annie so attractive. This leads to a winding tale of multiple love stories that end tragically. Just as people are either finding or rediscovering love, their partners are tragically killed. This is the second Gorman novel in the Evans series that I have read and this is the way they both ended. His characters also exhibit great nobility, the Sheriff and the judge of the town both eventually demonstrate an independence of character that helps Guild. While Gorman's heroes are truly that in the traditional sense, the story ends in a very negative way. Just when people seem to be overcoming their terrible past, events lead to their deaths. If you demand happy endings, then this book is not for you. However, if sad endings are acceptable as long as the journey is well written, then this book will please you.