02317cam a22003013u 4500 12335 UtSlPG 20260610133308.0 m cr n 260607r2004||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS De Forest, John William, 1826-1906 Overland: A Novel Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2004 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2004-05-01 E-text prepared by Curtis Weyant, Barbara Tozier, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team "Overland: A Novel" by John William De Forest is a historical fiction novel written during the late 19th century. The story unfolds in Santa Fé, New Mexico, a small and struggling town with a diverse cultural backdrop, focusing primarily on two women: Clara Muñoz Garcia Van Diemen, a strikingly beautiful orphan facing financial ruin, and her forthright Aunt Maria, who is determined to help her niece navigate through their meager resources and troubled family history. The opening portion of the novel introduces us to the stark setting of Santa Fé, contrasting Clara's vibrant beauty and Aunt Maria's strong-willed character against the town's desolation and decay. As the two women discuss Clara's financial problems and family connections that may lead to a potential resolution, we learn about Clara's late father and the invitation she receives from her estranged grandfather in California. This development sets the stage for the adventure to come, where their overland journey beckons with risks and potential fortune, interspersed with looming threats from the desert and the people they encounter along the way, including Lieutenant Thurstane, a young American officer who harbors feelings for Clara. The opening chapter deftly balances character development with foreshadowing of the perilous journey ahead. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified New Mexico -- Fiction https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12335 53753 53753