A Western Caper
ISBN: Paperback: 978-1-964830-16-2; ISBN: Kindle: 978-1-964830-17-9
by Preston Lewis
Release Date: November 4, 2025
When naïve Englishman Baron Jerome Manchester Paget arrives in 1878 Fort Griffin with a satchel full of money to start a buffalo ranch and expand his wealth, a horde of colorful swindlers from throughout Texas arrive to relieve him of his fortune and to destroy his dream. With a passel of oddball characters and more twists and turns than a stagecoach trail, The Fleecing of Fort Griffin starts a cascade of swindles, counter-swindles, and comic miscalculations aimed at taking the baron for all he is worth.
To stay rich—and alive, the baron must outwit crooked West Texas gamblers, a one-eyed gunfighter, a savvy marshal, conniving females, a disenchanted army colonel, and a worldly stump preacher, all convinced they’re smarter than him. With only a young orphan for a valet and a rooster for a watchdog as his allies, Baron Paget must navigate frontier greed, vanity and hubris to survive.
Written by Spur Award-winning author Preston Lewis, a master of western plot twists and humor, The Fleecing of Fort Griffin blends period authenticity with razor-sharp wit and colorful dialogue to take readers on an unconventional and uproarious journey through the Old West.
A classic of American frontier humor, The Fleecing of Fort Griffin evokes the tall-tale spirit of the Old West for readers who like their Westerns with a smile and a wink at the history of the time.
Excerpt from The Fleecing of Fort Griffin:
Paget picked up a pen from the desk and dipped it in the ink well. “Charge me twenty-five dollars a week. Do your rooms have locks? I carry considerable funds with me.”
Slowly, Uncle Moses shook his head. “Men around here would just kick in a locked door.”
With a flourish, Paget signed his name and returned the pen as Uncle Moses rocked a blotter over his signature. Paget opened his satchel. “I can pay you now in British pounds or later in American dollars.”
Uncle Moses’ eyes widened when he saw the bundles of bills in the baron’s satchel. “American money later. You’re in number five, middle of the hall,” Uncle Moses said, pointing down a dim hallway. “Sammy will see you to your room.”
The baron shook his head. “And then, I need the lad to find me a poulterer,” Paget commanded.
“A poulterer?” Uncle Moses asked.
“A chicken dealer,” Paget answered. “A poulterer is a chicken dealer.”
“No chicken dealers around here,” Uncle Moses answered.
Paget waved his cane like a sword. “Then find someone with chickens and buy me a fine rooster.”
“But what if they won’t sell?” Sammy asked.
Paget grinned. “Acquire it at whatever price because I need a guard animal.”
Sammy Collins shook his head. “A guard rooster!”
Uncle Moses turned around and snickered.