If it grew or grazed or lived in Indian Valley, it belonged to Mike Dugan. A man could lease land there, drive cattle there, and marry his woman there, but he had to be ready to eat dirt -- or leave -- when Dugan said so. And Tommy Gordon had left five years ago. But when a man eats dirt, it gets into his blood; his holster gets stiff and his fists get loose. Tommy knew Ben Dugan had hurt a lot of the good folks of Indian Valley. So Tommy rode back to Indian Valley. He bought his own spread and he picked a woman. He was tall enough now, and he could slap leather fast enough -- and his anger had had five years to come to a boil.