Jeffrey Truman Blake

Arizona Strip Jeffrey Truman Blake

Ed Blake, in 1869, hauls lumber for his two older brothers Fredrick and Benjamin from the Arizona Territory to the new booming mining town of Pioche, Nevada. On his trip, Ed learns about an abandoned child left in the desert and discovered by a small band of outlaws. With much trouble, Ed finds the child and hauls him to Pioche. In desperation, because he is unable to find anyone willing to help the dying child, he takes the child into Kate's Palace, which is the whore house. Offering his load of lumber, brought over one hundred miles in his horse drawn wagon across the high desert, the Madam, Kate considers it a good business deal and consents to care for the child. Ed does not approve of Kate's business and even dislikes entering her place. Kate thinks Ed is young and homespun and never has, nor ever will, possess anything of value. Their encounters start to bring out the best in each other.