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Zusatztext Praise for the novels of Ralph Compton “Compton offers readers a chance to hit the trail and not even end up saddle sore.”— Publishers Weekly “Compton writes in the style of popular Western novelists like Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey…thrilling stories of Western legend.”— The Huntsville Times (AL) “If you like Louis L’Amour! you’ll love Ralph Compton.”— Quanah Tribune-Chief (TX) Informationen zum Autor Marcus Galloway Klappentext A gambler runs out of luck in this western in Ralph Compton's USA Today bestselling series... Mississippi charmer Abner Mason is a professional gambler and a regular on the Delta Jack! a luxurious riverboat. But luck hasn't exactly been going Mason's way. After a disastrous loss at the tables! he owes an impossible debt to the most powerful man on the ship: mysterious! ruthless Cam Greeley. And Greeley's willing to do whatever it takes to get his fortune back-even threaten Mason's life. Now Mason has a single night to raise all the funds to pay off his debt by completing whatever ominous jobs Greeley has waiting for him. He just has to make it through alive... More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books In Print! MAN OVERBOARD SIGNET THE IMMORTAL COWBOY This is respectfully dedicated to the “American Cowboy.” His was the saga sparked by the turmoil that followed the Civil War, and the passing of more than a century has by no means diminished the flame. True, the old days and the old ways are but treasured memories, and the old trails have grown dim with the ravages of time, but the spirit of the cowboy lives on. In my travels—to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arizona—I always find something that reminds me of the Old West. While I am walking these plains and mountains for the first time, there is this feeling that a part of me is eternal, that I have known these old trails before. I believe it is the undying spirit of the frontier calling me, through the mind’s eye, to step back into time. What is the appeal of the Old West of the American frontier? It has been epitomized by some as the dark and bloody period in American history. Its heroes—Crockett, Bowie, Hickok, Earp—have been reviled and criticized. Yet the Old West lives on, larger than life. It has become a symbol of freedom, when there was always another mountain to climb and another river to cross; when a dispute between two men was settled not with expensive lawyers, but with fists, knives, or guns. Barbaric? Maybe. But some things never change. When the cowboy rode into the pages of American history, he left behind a legacy that lives within the hearts of us all. — Ralph Compton Chapter 1 Mississippi 1869 The Delta Jack was one of the most luxurious riverboats to float down the Mississippi. If one were to look at her plush carpets, sample the fine selection of liquor served in one of many bars, or taste the food prepared by its well-paid chefs, one might guess the riverboat to be exclusive to rich men or prominent gamblers. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Everyone was welcome aboard the Delta Jack . All a man needed to become a passenger was enough money to sit in at one of the gambling tables scattered throughout its three decks. Such a man didn’t even need to be rich. He could stay aboard as long as he kept gambling. The Delta Jack made frequent stops, and as soon as a man’s bankroll ran out, he was promptly escorted onto dry land. If he didn’t want to separate himself from the Jack ’s many hospitalities, he could always apply for a line of credit from the boat’s owner. Cam Greeley was always willing to consider such an application so the man in need of funds could remain on board for a while longer. It was generally a g...
