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

“I’m sayin’…that I want to come with you.”   6


“I have. All that I needed to. The answer is still no.”


Mei burst from the front doors of the saloon, her sack of plunder on her shoulder. Huī was alert, and stood dutifully as Mei latched her effects onto his saddle. Violet rushed behind her, kicking up a cloud of dirt in her wake. She grabbed Huī’s bridle, keeping Mei from leading him away.


“I’ll earn my keep!” Violet bargained. “I’ll cook, I’ll do the washin’, I’ll even look after Rory.”


“We do our own cookin’ and washin’, and Rory gets along just fine without you.” Mei put her foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself up. Linus was taking a bit longer to ready his horse. Linus had kept his and Rory’s thoughts to themselves for the most part, their eyes avoiding the commotion. Mei tried to take the reins from Violet, but Violet would not relent. “Let go.”


“Why not?” Violet demanded. “Why not even entertain the idea?”


Chapter 49