Orphans On A Train: Going Underground & Hounded By Bounty Hunters

By Beth Overton

A woman working at an orphanage that houses many boys decides to escape with a large group of them and try to find loving homes along the way west for as many as possible, as they travel by wagon and train across country. Hounded by bounty hunters, strangers assist them, leaving food & providing shelter. The boys are placed with families except for one, and his caretaker promises a special family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Beth Overton
• Release date: Feb 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310526527

Beth Overton

Beth Overton lives in Northern California with her husband and three cats. Besides writing romances, she loves to read everything she can get her hands on, as well as cooking up gourmet delights for her entire family.

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Orphans On A Train: Going Underground & Hounded By Bounty Hunters

By

Beth Overton

Copyright 2016 Quietly Blessed & Loved Press

Synopsis: A woman working at an orphanage that houses many boys decides to escape with a large group of them and try to find loving homes along the way west for as many as possible, as they travel by wagon and train across country. Hounded by bounty hunters, strangers assist them, leaving food and providing shelter. All of the boys are placed with families except for one and his caretaker promises a special home for him at the very end.

Prologue

Bradley huddled in the corner of the hall as the other kids continued to taunt him. He had been passed over once again by another group of people interested in adopting a child. Each year his hopes of finding a family grew dimmer. He hated the Open House for raising his hopes and then dashing them just as quickly.

During the event, the boys from the Heritage Boys Home were paraded in front of potential parents. Depending upon the age of the boy, many would get adopted. Once they were too old to be of interest to parents, the boys usually ended up going into workhouses to pay for their keep until they became adults.

Bradley remained in the corner long after the parents had all left and well into the dinner hour.

Despite the house rules, Amanda came looking for him. Out of all the people working at the orphanage, she was the only one he considered to be his family. She had pretty much taken him under her wing by standing up for him and looking out for him.

Amanda always wanted to have children of her own, but her life didn’t work out that way. She was a widow and as such, was not eligible to adopt. The next best thing she could do was to work in an orphanage.

She still remembered the day when Bradley came to the Heritage Boys Home. He was a rather small baby that required a great deal of effort to get him to eat. Everyone started calling him the runt. When he finally did start to eat, he would only eat for her.

He eventually did start to grow, but his development was affected by his slow start and poor nutrition. He remained short in stature with skinny arms and legs, but grew quite round in his girth. Now he was a short pudgy runt whose odd appearance seemed to invite even more taunting.

If he was having a rough day, he would not come to the dinner table. This was a signal for her to go and find him and bring him to the table.

Bradley, said Mrs. Amanda, you know you have to eat.

She kneeled down next to him and started to rub his back.

"I know it has been a rough day, but that is behind us now. You need to come and get a little something to eat.

Mrs. Amanda, can I speak with you, grunted Mr. Hunter, the director of the boy’s home.

I’m in the middle of consoling a child.

Yes, I see that. I need to speak with you.

I will see you when I am done here.

I need to see you now, he demanded.

She reassured Bradley that she would be back and got up to follow Mr. Hunter to his office across the hall.

We seem to have a problem here, he said coldly.

"I know. The