Arizona Territory, 1880. Can a lone Secret Agent uncover the truth behind a government conspiracy? Rudy Mueller, a lonely, 40-year-old man of Puritan stock, has been sent to investigate recent crimes that may have been committed to prevent discovery of a silver conspiracy. However, beyond this investigation lies Rudy's own, somewhat different, agenda. For some time, he has believed President James Polk instigated the Mexican War of 1846 because he had knowledge of California's gold long before it was officially "discovered" just as the war was ending. His investigation has barely begun when Rudy uncovers circumstantial evidence that appears to link Territorial Governor John Charles Fremont and his wife to the silver conspiracy. Because of Fremont's connection to events in California at the time of the Mexican War, Rudy sees a way to prove his long held beliefs. To keep his personal investigation secret, Rudy pretends to leave his government post and buys a saloon in the Bradshaw Mountain mining town of Poland. Enlisting the help of Eva, one of the saloon's fallen doves, he continues his quest. As the story develops, Rudy and Eva discover an unlikely mutual attraction. They also uncover evidence of a plot that is stealing millions from the U.S. Treasury. Using their accumulated knowledge, they are able to arrange a meeting with President James Garfield wherein Rudy tries to convince the President to make public the truth of the Mexican War because "A lie accepted as the truth is more powerful than the truth can ever be."