The T. R. Connection

The setting of the novel is the 1880s in the Badlands of Dakota Territory along the Little Missouri River. There is great excitement in the town of Medora (North Dakota) as young Theodore Roosevelt from New York plunges into the ranching business at the same time that a wealthy Frenchman the Marquis de Mores is investing three million dollars into building a slaughterhouse and the new town of Medora (named after his red haired wife). Three young wranglers Val Steffanson a Canadian Lincoln Long a Scotsman and Fred from Wyoming get jobs as riders for the Maltese Cross Outfit Roosevelts ranch. Val under the name of Will Stevens is hiding out in the Badlands from three revenge seeking brothers of Blacky Jean La Pierre. Val killed Jean in self defense in a gunfight in Calgary when he confronted Jean about stealing Indian children and selling them into sexual slavery in the wild and lawless far North. The La Pierres are an outlaw MÃ(c)tis clan and want blood for blood. Vals hideout is eventually discovered and he must fight to the death each one of the three brothers. Val does not share this part of his arduous life with young Theodore Roosevelt and Lincoln Long as he fights the battles alone. Two beautiful sisters of Icelandic heritage come into the mens lives when Val marries Sonja and brings his bride and Tanya her sister to the Badlands. These wonderful women bring zest and also complications to the Maltese Cross Outfit. Outlaws killers and horrific Dakota winters also bring adventures and complications to Mr. Roosevelt and his men. Finally the great blizzard of 1886-7 causing huge losses of cattle ends Roosevelts ranching days but not before he finds health vigor confidence and love of the strenuous life. Sixteen years later Theodore Roosevelt became the President of the United States. Note: (The T. R. Connection is also an audiobook with BooksinMotion.com and the novel The Big Island Posse published by Authorhouse 2004 is a sequel