Summary

The novel begins with a brief prologue chapter, following a police officer named Alfred Waterbury. The year is 1909, and the place is Spokane, Washington. There have been reports of burglaries in Spokane’s wealthiest neighborhood. The acting police chief assigns several experienced officers, including Waterbury, to patrol and investigate the area. One night, Waterbury sees a fleeing figure and tries to detain the person. The person shoots and kills Waterbury. Chapter 1 introduces the protagonist, 16-year-old Ryan “Rye” Dolan. He is homeless and travels with his older brother, Gregory “Gig” Dolan. Their parents are deceased. Gig has always been a wanderer, and after their mother died of illness, Rye joined him. Gig sometimes associates with a labor union called the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). In Spokane, there is much strife between unions and the industrialists. The owners of mines and other businesses in...