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George kills Frank after learning that he was repeatedly stealing from him.
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After George kills Frank, they move into the wilderness to continue living their lives.
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George Black Bull is killed from an avalanche when he is on the mountain hunting.
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Bessie returns to Pagosa and learns that George's reputation has been wiped but she hesitates to move back.
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Bessie soon suffers from illness and sadly dies leaving Tom all alone.
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When Tom meets Red Dillon, Red is impressed by his uncanny ability to ride wild bronco. He decides to train him.
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Tom and Meo were informed of Red's illness. Tom rushes to Red's rescue but he dies in his arms.
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When Tom enters the professinal circut, he earns the name "Killer Tom Black" when he continues to exhibit his skills and brutality.
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After a brutal ride, Tom breaks his arm. He leaves the hospital to visit Meo. When he struggle to find him and he learns that he had died a few weeks prior.
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During another one of Tom's rides, he takes a hard fall and is rushed to a hospital. The doctors says he shouldn't ride again with his injuries but he refuses and returns home to train.
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When Tom returns to Pagosa he undergoes a lot of trauma. He thinks back to his childhood with his family having to move away and his parents dying. He is mentally abused by Jim Thatcher, and he regrets his mistakes in life. Mainly, his inability to kill the bear that killed the lamb.
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Tom wants to redeem himself with killing the bear. He find the bear but finds himself unable to shoot it again. In his dreams the All-Mother appears and defends him from the fury of nature's element, claiming Tom as her son. Tom leaves the bear alone and engages in the old Ute ways. The novel ends with his contentment in his solitary life in the wilderness and in the ways of his heritage.