s ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom <0x0A> </s> ▁Mont ana ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁is ▁a ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁nov ella ▁by ▁Larry ▁Watson . ▁The ▁nov ella ▁focus es ▁on ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁young ▁Mont an an ▁David ▁Hay den , ▁his ▁family ▁and ▁the ▁fict ional ▁town ▁of ▁Bent rock , ▁Mont ana , ▁and ▁focus es ▁on ▁the ▁strugg les ▁of ▁a ▁family ▁torn ▁between ▁loyal ty ▁and ▁justice . ▁It ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Mil k we ed ▁National ▁F iction ▁Prize . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁When ▁David ' s ▁Native ▁American ▁house keeper ▁Marie ▁Little ▁Sold ier ▁falls ▁ill , ▁Frank ▁Hay den , ▁the ▁local ▁doctor ▁and ▁David ' s ▁uncle , ▁is ▁called . ▁Marie ▁det ests ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁doctor ▁and ▁ins ists ▁upon ▁seeing ▁another ▁doctor ▁that ▁she ▁is ▁more ▁familiar ▁with . ▁Marie ▁is ▁further ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁receive ▁medical ▁treatment ▁from ▁Frank ▁Hay den ▁and ▁calls ▁for ▁G ail , ▁David ' s ▁mother , ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁the ▁room ▁with ▁her ▁during ▁her ▁check up . ▁After ▁she ▁has ▁received ▁medical ▁attention ▁and ▁is ▁pres cribed ▁medic ation , ▁G ail ▁questions ▁Marie ▁and ▁disco vers ▁that ▁Frank ▁has ▁a ▁history ▁of ▁ab using ▁his ▁medical ▁status ▁to ▁pre y ▁upon ▁the ▁local ▁Native ▁American ▁women , ▁forcing ▁them ▁to ▁commit ▁otherwise ▁unnecessary ▁acts . ▁David ' s ▁father , ▁Wes ley , ▁is ▁the ▁local ▁sh er iff ▁and ▁begins ▁to ▁investigate ▁these ▁alleg ations ▁against ▁his