cover image Apache's Flame

Apache's Flame

Madeline Baker. Signet Book, $5.99 (352pp) ISBN 978-0-451-40820-4

She was the minister's daughter and he was part Apache. As children in 1869 New Mexico, they kept their friendship secret; at 17, they pledged their eternal love. When Mitch Garrett leaves their small, bigoted town to find a better place, he doesn't know that Alisha Faraday is carrying his child. Alisha promises to join him once he gets settled, but her father intercepts his letter and she assumes that Mitch has forgotten about her. Five years later, Mitch returns to discover that Alisha is now engaged to his childhood nemesis. After a disillusioned Mitch leaves again to join his mother's people, a death-bed confession by Alisha's father throws her world into chaos: she discovers that her child, who her father had told her was stillborn, is alive and being raised by Indians. She quickly breaks her engagement and rides out to find her son. Alisha's search is cut short when she is kidnapped by Comanches, but Mitch comes to her rescue. Reconciled at last, the lovers join forces to find their long-lost child. Although Baker (Hawk's Woman) is justly renowned for her portrayals of American Indians, this time , her plot is too predictable to satisfy. (Sept.)