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

At the desk, with his back to the window, was a round, wide man. He was hard at work on a stack of documents, completely unaware of Violet’s presence. Returning her attention to Mei and Sitting Bear, Violet held out a hand as a signal. Mei quickly left the brush and headed for the front of the brothel. Moments later, there was a shattering of glass that echoed through the building.


“What in Sam Hill…?” Mills stood from his desk and lumbered out of his office. “Hey!” he barked. “What broke?!” As he stomped his way out of sight, Violet worked quickly. Crouched precariously on the window ledge, she slid a knife between the ledge and the frame and swiped the lock from its holster. Now unlatched, Violet pried the window ajar, and crawled her way inside. She closed and locked the window behind her and did a quick scan of the office.


Chapter 163