Footprints of My Father — Kwen D. Griffeth

Roosevelt's Rough Riders... When Luke Cardiff returns from college to his small family horse ranch in Missouri, he leaves Stella May, the girl he cares about, behind when he’s sent to Amarillo, Texas, to take care of family business. In the back of his mind, he’s always suspected there’s more to his horse-loving school teacher father than meets the eye. While in Amarillo, he discovers that his father’s past life was one of violence, murder, and mayhem - something Luke’s mother was never allowed to talk about. In Texas, Cardiff falls in love with a beautiful Mexican woman, but when he hears the call for volunteers for Teddy Roosevelt’s rough riders, he’s compelled to join. He tells her he’ll come back for her. Luke has grown up with a love of horses himself and is appointed sergeant of Remounts by Roosevelt. He follows the Rough Riders to Cuba and survives in the battle of San Juan Hill. Once he’s back from Cuba, he reunites with his family in Missouri. Stella May informs him she’s been waiting for him so they can marry, but he has more than one obligation that forces him to return to the Southwest. Will he be able to deliver a promise and reunite with the woman he loves, or will fate turn its hand?