This is a serial novel. It was originally written as a serial for a magazine, which means that it was published in parts and each issue of the magazine would publish a part. Serial novels (published like this were popular in the 1940's and 50's). These novels were full of action and not character development because readers wanted action and because people had to wait until the next magazine came out, there needed to be plenty of action for people to want to read the next section.This serial novel is also found in the novel "The Trail to Crazy Man." L'Amour later went back and expanded this serial novel to include more details and characters. That novel (although very similar to this one) is "Silver Canyon"