In the years following the Civil War, former Union soldier John Bitter and his wife, Morgan, have overcome the relentless hardships of traveling to Oregon from Missouri along the Oregon Trail and have settled into a peaceful and contented life in Abiqua with their two sons. When Anna Franklin, the impetuous daughter of State Representative Peter Franklin, runs away with her unscrupulous fiancé to get married-or so she believes-the congressman asks John Bitter, now a Pinkerton agent, to find her and bring her back.

Accompanied by his Native friend, Owl, John's journey takes the reader to the wilds of Eastern Oregon during a time of unrest among the native tribes, and Canyon City's gold fields. Along the way a vow of revenge from outlaws results in life-threatening injuries for John. With Owl's help, John's recovery and continued search for Anna become a mission for justice as well.

This is also a tale of a state that votes anti-slavery and still passes the Exclusion Act which prohibits black freedmen and former slaves from living in the state of Oregon, a sad display of prejudice that lures John Bitter into state politics.

Following Rod Collins' Bitter's Run, Abiqua is ¿lled with colorful characters-real and imagined, law abiding and lawless-in a galloping adventure of courage, loyalty, and the pioneering spirit.