Ruth Hanson

America, 1887. In a country healing from the horrors of the Civil War, the American West has never been more treacherous. Evil men do as they please, and the often faulty and corrupt justice system does little to nothing to help their victims. Enter the Railwalkers. Bandits whose only goal is to punish those whom the law has allowed to walk free. Some think they're an 28 legend, meant to scare would-be criminals into submission. Some see them as no different than the murderers they kill, while to others, they are angels of mercy. To Violet Donovan, they are family. Growing up as the sole heiress to the sizable Donovan estate, Violet's place of privilege allowed her wild spirit to flourish. Despite the pressures of her sex -- find a husband, stay pretty, have children, be subservient, don't speak out of line -- Violet is passionate, loud, stubborn, and untamed. However, at the ripe, marriageable age of twenty, Violet faces the fact that she may have to give in to her mother's wishes and marry mean, ugly Eustace Carpenter, the only other family name in their little town with comparable worth. But Violet's life changes forever when she is saved from an attacker by a strange woman. A woman who, like Violet, doesn't exactly fit the mold. Unfortunately Violet gets mixed up in a murder charge and has to leave everything she knows for a life on the run from the law. Through divine intervention, she and the woman cross paths again, and Violet comes to know her and her comrades. They are Mei Wong, Linus Cooper, Sitting Bear, and Rory McNab. The infamous Railwalker gang.

The Railwalkers

She’d only been in the bath for a few minutes when there was a knock at the door. “Might I come in?” It was a woman’s voice.


Ruby opened the door, closing it behind her quickly. She was dressed properly now, though her loose, devilish curls were still unkempt. In her arm was tucked a bundle of fabric Violet could not yet identify. She smiled, her lips re-painted for the day. “Enjoying your bath, Miss?”


“Jimmy said earlier that you came in with Mei, is that right?”


Ruby’s smile widened. “Isn’t there anything else you can say?”


Violet tucked her knees under her chin. “How’d you know Mei?”


“Well, that’s a bit of a story,” Ruby replied. “But the short version is pretty simple. She came in as a customer, she and her posse had skills we needed. We’ve since…ah-hem…exchangedservices on occasion.”


Chapter 45