After the McKay Rangers rescued James from the gunfight on the streets of Beaumont, Texas (Death is a Gunfighter), they traveled home and spent the next five years in peace. Although they traveled several times to visit their property in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, life was simple and predictable. They decided to drive a herd of cattle to Houston for an Atlanta buyer and left in March 1871. It was a relatively easy drive and they arrived without incident. But an old enemy discovered that James was still alive, and in his heart, vengenance burned with a thirst for nothing less than absolute destruction.