PREFACE I have a long trail of praise for the American cowboy. Leafing through tattered pages of hand-written journals and dust-covered books; and wandering museums admiring masterworks of western artists, I looked beyond their golden frames as windows into America's past, and imagined what the restless spirit of the West was like one hundred fifty years ago for cowboys and the sunbonnets on the American frontier-a land once thought to be as far away as the moon. Inspired, I felt challenged to create a magical tale that crisscrosses the expansion of the far West and collides with destiny-a tale that paints a vivid portrait of a bygone era. A story about cowboys and angels who dared to burn themselves like candles for experiences worth living and values that created strength and revealed character*-*a story as enduring as the romance of the West. Embracing a cowboy's flavorful soup of words and expressions, WB tells his story with cowboy wit and humor. Just off the boat, not yet sixteen, his tale begins in 1873, when dreams were chased with reckless abandon, when the pursuit of freedom was a driving force, when life was raw and unforgiving, yet brimming with opportunity. He crosses the Mississippi, and without fear, leaves the muddy shores of civilization behind. With empty pockets, a spark for life, and a wild sense of freedom, he follows his heart searching for adventure and fortune, and discovers the romance. WB's roam is filled with all the good stuff: encounters and action, adventure and drama that transcend the boundaries of ordinary existence, inviting us to embrace the magic that dwells within the human spirit. . . . Well into the magic of his tale, with his body scared and his eyes wide open, when staying alive was a daily battle he encounters the Spirit of the West; sparking a magical connection that defies explanation and will forever shape his destiny as he fearlessly ventures into a frontier of untamed majesty, bigger and more beautiful than any dream.