The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

John Mackenzie leaves a modest teaching post to seek his fortune in the sheep country, walking into a landscape where stock and money drive men's lives. He confronts entrenched range tensions and a harsh, brutal flockmaster whose temper leads to physical violence. Gruesome attacks on flocks provoke fear and suspicion as sheepherders try to protect their herds. Allies and rivals, including Tim Sullivan and a woman named Mary, form shifting loyalties that complicate contests over land and honor. Night summons, fever, gunfights, and long rides punctuate the action while characters are pushed to decisive choices. The narrative portrays the rough ethics of frontier life and the personal costs of ambition on a contested range.