"Do you know who I am, tenderfoot? 'Cuz if you don't, you should," said the hired gunslinger to Otis Jackson.
Otis noticed the well-maintained six-shooter in the shiny black holster and the steady hand hovering over it, ready to pull iron.
He knew he was no match for this professional, but he replied, "Yeah, I know who you are. You're that coward who hides in the bushes until your intended victim walks by, and then you jump up and shoot him in the back when he ain't lookin'."
After hearing the worst insult a hired gunman could receive, he was overcome with anger and started shaking so badly that he could hardly stand.
The crowd that had gathered, hearing this exchange, immediately dispersed, knowing that bullets were about to fly.
This is just one example of the many obstacles that Otis Jackson, Humberto Ruíz, and others must face in establishing El Rancho Ruíz in nineteenth-century Texas.
Rustlers, hostile Indians, bandits, greedy businessmen, and other evildoers also stand in the way.
Are courage, good fortune, the hard work of pioneer men and women, and a tough crew of Mexican and Texan cowboys sufficient to make the ranch successful?