It was supposed to go to the Quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac to pay soldier's wages during the American Civil War, but it never got there. Con man, card shark, and grifter Thomas McIntyre got it first. He honed his skills from the streets of New York City in the 1850's and after the war, gambled his way across the country to Virginia City, Nevada. Five card draw was his game, and he could win every time if he wanted to, even though his methods were sometimes morally questionable. Stealing the payroll was the perfect crime; the federal government could afford it and after a bit of time even forget about it. When Thomas went back to Jefferson County, WV to retrieve his treasure, there was only one other person who knew why he was there.

The story was inspired by historical events surrounding a stolen union army payroll that was supposedly buried near the small community of Shepherdstown, WV located along the Potomac River. The reader is invited to join the fictional Thomas McIntyre as he travels the trains from West Virginia to Virginia City, in search of adventure, love, his own silver mine, and the next card game.