Fork in the False Trail - Wendelboe C. M.

Tucker Ashley returns to his Black Hills ranch only to find that Indians have raided it. They've killed livestock and taken his best friend and business partner Jack captive. Tucker has no choice but to head out after them. Meanwhile, Hack Reed, his nemesis from his recent prison stint, has just broken out of jail, and his gang of cutthroats is hot on Tucker's trail. The Reed gang attacks a posse, killing everyone except their tracker, who narrowly escapes with a gunshot wound. The fact that Tucker was not with them only fuels Reed's fury. 

Tucker, tracking the Indians who kidnapped Jack, sees they have taken others captive. Among the familiar faces are a murderer of miners, and a rancher and his daughter. Suddenly, Tucker has more pressing issues. The Reed gang springs an ambush that Tucker should have seen coming. Still, he manages to kill some of Reed's men and make his escape. 

Resuming the hunt for Jack, Tucker's pursuit of the Indians and their captives is more difficult now that he is on foot. The posse tracker that was left for dead catches up with Tucker, and together, they follow the Indians, unaware that the rancher's daughter and Jack have escaped. They made it to the forest, safely hidden for now. It's a tight line Tucker walks between surviving himself and saving his friend. Will Tucker find Jack before he is killed by the Indians? Or will Reed and his gang of killers find Tucker first?