Death lies in waiting in the baking heat of the Nevada hills. A band of Shoshones ride into ambush. High above them, Cuchillo Oro watches as his red brothers are butchered in the cavalry crossfire. Suddenly a rifle prods his spine and Cuchillo is a prisoner of the blue-coated soldiers.

Only savage cunning can save him. The soldiers are greedy for gold. Cuchillo persuades them that he can lead them to a hoard in the hills. He is bargaining for his life and for time... enough time to plan the bloody vengeance of his brutal Golden Knife...