Virgil

Virgil Wounded Horse is the main character and first-person narrator of the novel. He lives on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where he works as a hired vigilante who attempts to secure justice for people who have been passed over by the legal system. This often involves physical violence, such as brutalizing Guv Yellowhawk, a gym teacher who is known for sexually abusing his students.

Virgil explains in the narration that with his vigilante work he is filling a needed role: The reservation is often neglected by the federal authorities when it comes to crimes that the tribal police do not have the power to prosecute. However, the work takes a toll on him, and the lines between his personal life and his justice-seeking efforts are not always clear. This becomes even more the case when he decides to involve himself in the investigation of a...