Morris' Code

Sean Morris returns home from the battlefields of World War I France a bona fide war hero; awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery at a place called The Gap. Born on a small rural Iowa farmstead Sean overcomes a life of poverty through the benefit of his artistic talent and his fortuitous friendship with Reynard (Foxy) Armstrong III, the scion of one of America’s richest families.

Back in the States after his war experiences Sean is close to a broken man. He cannot reconcile his personal code of life with the actions required of him and what he saw during the war. Morris’ plan to heal is to go west to the yet wild state of Arizona purchase a cattle ranch where he can work and paint in solitude, leaving the memories of his life of violence behind. Once on the newly christened Lazy Paintbrush Morris finds himself in the middle of the mystery of a gang of ruthless, murdering rustlers and Sean is appointed to discover their origin.

Along the way Sean picks up new family members like so many grains of sand. A one legged former black soldier, Freddy Johnson joins him in his adventures along with Sean’s new ward Ranita, a pretty Mexican-American girl. Sean will meet and fall in love with the General’s daughter on his way to the exciting and violent conclusion of Morris’ Code.