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

Hearst questioned Mei first, and for some time. He would emerge to grab a few things—a sheet of paper, a pen, a bottle of liquor—and then vanish again. Violet wondered why things were taking so very long. Fortunately, her worry was minimal. If anything, Hearst had proven himself an honorable man. At least Violet could be sure that Mei wouldn’t be executed behind closed doors.


When Hearst finally did sit with Violet, he first poured them each a drink. Violet took it thankfully. It was much needed. Hearst then rolled them a cigarette to share, letting Violet take the first drag.


“So…” Hearst laced his fingers together, hands on the table. “I guess it’s over.”


“I guess it is.” Violet passed him the cigarette.


A smile tickled Hearst’s lips and he took it from her, taking a smoke himself. “Is this how you pictured it?”


Violet thought the question through. “To be honest?” she said. “It’s not how I would have liked things to end up. But we rarely get a say in such things, don’t we?”


Chapter 188