"Young Buell Mace, on the run again, leaves Fort Laramie and the only person he ever trusted. He crosses paths with grizzled prospector Arley Hill who's on his way to the goldfields of Idaho Territory and joins him. On the journey, Buell's malevolent alter ego, born of his deep-seated guilt about his mother's death when he was born, manifests its power over Buell in three deadly encounters. Arley, having some experience with disabling mental trauma, tries to help the younger man cope, and a friendship develops. Arriving in Idaho City, they hire out their skills: Buell, and his Remington .44, protecting and defending former whore Emma Traen and her interests, and Arley working Emma's gold claim. Piers Modine, wealthy and greedy businessman, schemes to take Emma's holdings by destroying her equipment and scaring off her workers. The local Chinese leader, Yung Wing, arranges Chinese labor which enflames the indigenous workers and puts Buell and Arley in peril. Protecting a shipment of gold to a Utah Territory railhead, Buell is badly injured in a robbery. Emma nurses him back to health, but Buell, already psychologically damaged by his misplaced guilt, is further confused when the older Emma presents a muddle of sexual and maternal overtures. Violence ensues, and Buell is forced to make decisions usually left to his darker side, and learns who he really is" --Provided by publisher.