Forlorn River

Forlorn River is a 1927 western novel by Zane Grey.

Plot introduction

Ben Ide spends his time chasing wild horses in Northern California, accompanied by the wanderer, Nevada and his Indian companion, Modoc. Rather than catching horses, he has earned the reputation of being a cattle rustler. But Ina Blaine, his childhood sweetheart, knows this is impossible. She defends Ben against the suspicions of her newly-rich father and his mysterious associate, Les Setter, who has a previous connection to Nevada.

Looking toward the future, Ben Ide and his companions buy out a couple of ranchers in a severe drought and proceed to catch a lot of wild horses. He is after one in particular- California Red, whom Ina's father has promised as a present for her, if any man should catch him. Setter and Blaine set out to steal Ben's new land while he's off, and trouble follows.

Characters

;Ben Ide:Ben Ide is a young man whose dream is to catch wild horses. This has earned him the scorn of his father, a rancher, and the two no longer speak. Ben has moved up into the hills and befriended Nevada and Modoc. He was a well-regarded youth until his split with his father.

;Ina Blaine:Ina Blaine is a young woman fresh out of college, and has come home to a very changed family. Her family came into a large amount of money while she was away, and this puts her at odds with the other members of her family, as she wants the simply country life, while they want her to marry a well-to-do youth. She adamantly defends Ben Ide's character.

;Les Setter:A man working to help Mr. Blaine increase his newfound wealth. He has a previous connection with Nevada, and is very suspicious of Ben. He takes a liking to Ina, though she doesn't trust him.

;Nevada:A man with a shady past, saved from death by Ben Ide. He loyally helps the youth catch horses, and falls in love with Ben's younger sister. He has a previous acquaintance with Les Setter.

;Modoc:A companion of Nevada, Modoc is an Indian that doesn't speak much. He is a good tracker familiar with Indian ways of catching wild horses and surviving in the harsh environment.

equel

Forlorn River was followed by a sequel in 1928, called "Nevada".

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