1929. Venable has composed a sweeping epic historical romance of Texas featuring hard-bitten settlers from killers to priest, Kentucky and Tennessee mountaineers, down-east Yankees and many resolute figures of the new Empire including such persons as Sam Houston, Stephen Austin, David Crockett and James Bowie. The story begins: Three officers of the King's Colonial Army sat drinking in the low-ceilinged taproom of the old Williamsburg Tavern. They sprawled in their chairs, heavy and sodden. The tongue of the bulbous-nosed captain had become too thick to follow the sprightly wit of his fellows, but his hand could still follow theirs to the glasses.