The Lusty Breed — Brian Garfield

Chris McLean had been a professional gambler for six years and had learned the odds the hard way in rough dives, border saloons, and the blazing streets of boom towns. But when he returned to the family ranch in Arizona Territory to protect his brother’s holdings, his luck suddenly ran out.He was ambushed and beaten near to death. He was robbed of his stakes. And he found himself cast out by his family, his best friend and his girl. Anybody else assaying those odds would have had sense enough to quit the game while he could.But Chris was not just a slick card sharp—he had always played straight—and this time he was playing for something that meant more to him than money. So he dug down and put his last possession on the line – his life – and set out to recoup or go down with his gun in his hand in a final turn of the cards of fate.