"The son of a shipping magnate, William Cabott Weston III is determined to make his fortune in the news industry. He finds a job with the Chicago Tribune and is assigned to cover the recent attack on Columbus, New Mexico, by Pancho Villa. In Columbus, Weston meets Idaho lumberjack, Monte Segundo. Unknown to Weston, Segundo is haunted by a recurring nightmare and has developed an inexplicable desire to volunteer for the Punitive Expedition and join the Apache scouts. Segundo is rejected by the army but follows the Apache scouts into Mexico. On impulse, Weston accompanies with him. At Las Palomas an abused woman named Rosa is drug into a cantina by Carrancista soldiers. Incensed by what he sees, Monte pummels the Mexicans and frees Rosa del Carmen Fernandez Bustamonte, an officer in Villa's army. Monte's drive to find the Apaches intensifies as he, Rosa, and Weston flee Las Palomas and head south. On their journey, Monte leaves a trail of dead men and becomes known to the peons as EL Muerte. Gradually Monte realizes his nightmare is a fragmented memory, a distorted recollection of the brutal murder of his parents. He is convinced one of the Apache scouts is the murderer, but before he can exact his revenge Monte is arrested and tried for treason. During the trial, Monte comes face to face with the shocking truth while General Pershing discovers Monte is the legendary El Muerte, a fact that may alter the course of history""--