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

When the meal was over with, Madam Hen personally escorted them to their own bungalow that they could stay in for their visit. The bungalow had three rooms. There was a main room with a used fire pit and dinner table, and a few pots and pans hanging over a potbelly stove. On both the right and left corners sat doorways, with creaky, lopsided doors with wooden latches. The rooms were identical, with a bed each. The boys, naturally, would sleep in one room, while Violet and Mei would share the second.


“I’ll leave y’all to unpack,” Mei announced, dropping her personal satchel on the table. “Madam Hen, if you don’t mind, I’d like to use your wire. Maybe catch up on a few things while we’re at it.”


Chapter 96