The Branding Iron: A Western, Romance Classic By Katharine Newlin Burt! AAA+++

Joan, fierce virgin of the hills, is romantically wed by Pierre, lone rancher. They are happy enough till a young "sin-buster" Holliwell butts in (the right phrase), a fool (his author seems to think him rather noble) who, never mind how, succeeds in rousing Pierre's jealousy. Instead of shooting the parson, Pierre brands his wife between the shoulders with his branding iron. On the second, enter male number three, Prosper Gael, author and elegant man of the world: shoots Pierre, leaving him for dead, and carries off Joan -- and that's just the beginning!