When a Man's a Man

Harold Bell Wright tells an inspiring story of self-discovery that takes place on a ranch out west. A mysterious stranger comes walking into town, determined to become an employee of the Cross-Triangle Ranch. Cross-Triangle Ranch is run by Dean Baldwin and his crew. Among these men are the caretaker Phil Acton, the wise-cracking Curly Elson, Dean's son Little Billy, and his wife Stella. This stranger goes by the name Honorable Patches. It is obvious to the other employees of the ranch that he is hiding his past and trying to create a radically different future. The men Patches encounters on his journey through Williamson Valley are taken aback by the fact that he has walked the entire way, revealing his inability to ride a horse. Riding a horse is a sign of a country man, so it is easy to see that Patches is from a city and has entered a world that is completely new to him. Yet, Patches shows that he has a strong desire and will to learn. The men of the ranch are mystified and intrigued by him. Patches must prove himself and learn how to be the kind of man who works at Cross-Triangle. What the reader sees throughout the novel is that Patches is a fast learner and a true man. The story is filled with triumph, camaraderie, and appreciating the simple things in life. By leaving the culture and elitism of the city, Patches is able to understand what it means to be a man.