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’d like to bring something back to Rory,” she said. “Maybe we can find some river rocks or new candies.”


“Shells,” said Sitting Bear. “He likes ocean shells.”


“Shells it is,” Violet agreed. “The best, biggest, most prettiest shells California has to offer.” Going quiet, she listened to the rickety wheels beneath their car. Violet found Mei’s free hand and threaded their fingers together, listening to the beat of her heart. When this was over, and they could retire to Grammy’s farm in peace, Violet would make a whole wind chime of nothing but lovely shells. She would decorate their home with flowers, and stones, and pelts from Rory’s traps. She could almost see the five of them, huddled around the fire. Sitting Bear, with his long hair a silvery white. Perhaps Linus could convince Madam Hen to visit for Christmas. Rory would grow into a fine man, and she and Mei would settle into their twilight years, warm and content.


Chapter 165