Longarm's settling a war--on his terms. There's a bloody war brewing between money-hungry gold-diggers and the fierce San Carlos Apaches over the most desirable element in nature-- water. U.S. Marshal Custis Long is assigned to settle this situation in the deadliest part of Arizona, Canyon City. But he's not alone. He's getting a little help from an unlikely lot including an old fogy named Gassy, a temperamental donkey named Ugly, and a striking Apache woman, Donita Ramirez. Longarm soon discovers that this dispute is far more complex than even he imagined. He'll just have to give both sides a greater concern than their precious water-- and it will be whether or not they're the next to face down his smoking derringer.