Gold fever hits eighteen-year-old Andrew Colton. August 1863, Andy rides into the southwestern New Mexico Black Range, where Birchville is headquarters for anything gold. Andy pans unsuccessfully for gold, and, by first snowfall, he's done. Apaches raid Birchville, then head into the mountains. Friend Thomas O'Malley convinces Andy to go with him farther into the range to Mogollon, a mining burg. Apaches wound Andy and kill O'Malley. Andy stumbles into already-raided Mogollon, where he meets Dawson, a runaway slave. Dawson hides Andy when his brothers come looking. Apaches seize Andy and Dawson. The Apache leader, whose only objective is revenge for his brother's death, uses Andy as a lure for Andy's brothers. The Apaches, the Coltons, and Dawson fight for their lives.