Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 481

The Curse of Blood: A Tale of Ranch Life by Philip S. Warne

This serial opens at Denver's railway station where Edith Vernon, a young woman traveling from California, is approached by Jack Swayne, an insolent rake who offers assistance. He discovers she's bound for a sheep ranch owned by her guardian, Abednego "Deacon Jones" Swayne—his own father. Jack's delight at meeting his attractive ward is dampened when Edith arrives with Little Ah Sin, a Chinese servant. Jack escorts Edith and Ah Sin to a carriage, but his father appears and sternly orders Jack away, fixing an ominous gaze on Edith. Humiliated, Jack vows revenge. The second chapter depicts Jack at a Denver gambling hall where he loses money alongside other dissolute young men, then leads them on a reckless nighttime escapade through town and across the plains, discussing how their fathers have stopped funding their debauched lifestyle.