Charles travels west to help his old friend and aid in the investigation of Colonel Hawks' death. Charles, George, Gray Wolf, and Swimming Otter travel to Denver to seek the help of his old friend, Hunt-U.S. Marshal to investigate the death of Colonel Hawks.
Charles informs Hunt that Gray Wolf has an interest in becoming a U.S. Deputy Marshal, so Hunt makes Gray Wolf a temporary marshal so that he can be evaluated. Hunt assigns Gray Wolf a duty to ride with Dodd, Jason, Dewey, and Bill to stop the wagon train and investigate the death of Colonel Hawks.
Charles travels to the ranch to check out his finished home, and is pleased with what he finds. Charles discovers a need for dairy, chicken, and pork products and looks for land to begin a large industrial farm and searches for a building in Denver to establish a warehouse, and a store front to sell his products.
While riding to discover new land Charles is bushwhacked by two criminals on the run, and is robbed of his prized personal possessions, and rolled over a cliff and left for dead.
Wind Fire returns home without Charles, and a massive manhunt is instigated by Hunt and the other available U.S. Deputy Marshals.
Charles is found, and he is near death and is transported to a hospital in New Orleans for head trauma surgery. Charles awakens, but doesn't know who he is and is surrounded by people that he has no memory of.