Zebulon Simms is a well-known frontiersman and guide who is hired to lead what he believes to be a caravan of 4 wagons of furs from St. Louis to the Santa Fe area. Unbeknownst to him, 2 of the wagons also contain bars of gold bullion that are intended for corrupt Mexican officials, the main one being the district military commander of the Santa Fe area, General Basilla. With the help of a black man named Davis that he hired at the beginning of the journey to be a wagon driver, Zeb survives an attack by Arapaho Indians, who are being led by the fierce warrior chief, Buffalo Hump. Zeb also gets a taste of how the lure of gold can affect the behavior of men. An action-filled story of friendship and treachery!