In the Shadow of the Wolf Except for three stories, Redcoat, Flight, and A Soldier's Story, the remaining accounts explore adventures occurring during the nineteenth century, mainly the settling of the western frontier and the turbulence of the Civil War. As in the previous two volumes, Life at Stake and Ryley and Other Stories of Adventure, each story portrays how individuals confront and cope with extreme physical and emotional challenges during life-deciding moments. Any protagonist, whether in a movie, novel, short story, or TV episode, invites the viewer or reader to vicariously place himself or herself in that same situation, wondering what decision or action he or she might have taken under similar circumstances. On this premise, we, as readers and viewers, commonly develop an estimation of our own strength, will, courage, worth, and ability to survive. It is to be hoped that the characters in these stories will stimulate such interest and thought. But, primarily, it must be remembered that fiction is to be enjoyed. As a writer, it is my sincere hope that I have achieved this to some degree of satisfaction.