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

“Good enough,” Violet sighed. “Hit him hard, of course. But he’ll be all right.”


Mei sat herself on the sofa, hands on her knees. “That boy don’t need no more tragedy. Christ. He’s been through enough as is.”


“He’s tough,” said Linus. “He’ll pull through, same as always.”


“But he shouldn’t have to pull through,” said Mei. “He’s a child. He should—he should be with children his own age. Maybe learnin’ numbers or letters the right way. In a classroom, with a teacher. He should have a home to go to, shouldn’t he? Somewhere he can sleep, all cozy in a real bed…”


Mei pinched her nose. Her shoulders were hunched as she leaned over her lap. “He don’t deserve our life. He needs…” She wiped her face harshly and looked around. “He needs this. Don’t y’all see that?”


Chapter 156