Set in the rugged frontier of the West, this unforgettable sequel to Janet Dailey's best selling novel The Proud and the Free begins when Lije Stuart, the handsome son of Temple and The Blade Stuart, returns to the Cherokee Nation after 4 years at Harvard. As the American Civil War rages across the country, the Stuarts, too, are torn apart by an old family feud. Driven by a fierce loyalty and love for his father, Lije sacrifices his passionate romance with the beautiful Diane Parmalee in order to protect The Blade from his murderous uncle and cousin. Meanwhile, the Nation is drawn into the Civil War and must choose sides in the struggle. Inevitably, the mounting political disagreements and long-simmering divisions within the Nation threaten its delicate threads of unity. ( )