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

Raising the Smith & Wesson again, she bent her elbow, squared her shoulders, and shot. This time, the tomato can knocked just slightly. It wasn’t a direct hit, but it was something. Violet turned to Linus, making sure he saw it. He nodded, assuring her that he had. As she readied for another try, Linus stood up from his barrel.


“Speaking of upstanding.” He tilted Violet’s arms just so and stood back, letting her focus. “How’s Mei been treating you?”


Bang!Violet’s gun went off, the kickback nearly jerking the pistol out of her hand. The bullet went far off course, and instead of the can, whacked a cactus plant just a few yards away. A chunk of it fell to the ground in a wet slump. Violet quickly fiddled with the pistol, keeping her eyes away from Linus’s prying gaze.


“Mei? Why would Mei be treating me any different?” Her ears burned; she could almost feelLinus grinning.


Chapter 106