The Wedding Gamble

After rescuing his six-year-old niece from San Francisco's infamous Barbary Coast, Solomon Wolfe returns to his Montana ranch and goes gambling for a wife to raise his obstreperous charge. Cairo Brown, an elegant lady hustler who reigns over the local billiard establishment, seems the perfect choice. As this unlikely couple face off in a pool tournament with marriage as the prize, tension rises. The unusual twist on the ""marriage of convenience"" device provides an extra dollop of delight while the carefully detailed background adds richness to a satisfying story about two survivors surprised by love. Complex family entanglements and revenge culminate in a rousing finish to this thoroughly enjoyable western romance. (Aug.)