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This is the 6th story in the series.

Warning: light spanking and reference to spanking in this story

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The Virginia City March

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Ali had been pacing back and forth for the last ten minutes and still was mad as a hornet! The more she paced, the madder she became. It just wasn't fair that she should be here, and she had told them so in no uncertain terms. She looked over at her friend Amy, who was sitting there with a very worried expression on her face. I guess she is concerned about what her father is going to say to her. I can understand that, as Adam already gave me an earful and then some when he talked to me she frowned, as she remembered their discussion. Ali let out a long exasperated sigh.

I should have known today wasn't going to go well. After the disaster a week ago at the dinner party, I should have tried to stay out of trouble for a few weeks. Of course, I think I am safer in here than out there with Adam. To say he was mad was an understatement!

Ali walked over and looked through the bars of the window trying to see what was going on out in the street.

"Alissa Anderson, you have done a lot of crazy things in your day, but this takes it all! You've gone and gotten yourself thrown in jail," she muttered out loud, as she went over and plopped down on the bunk.

Then she pulled up her feet and tucked them under her as she started to recall the events of the day…..

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Alissa had met Amy Jones at church one Sunday several weeks ago and they had become instant friends. Amy had just enough spunk that Ali knew they would have some great adventures together, as Amy told Ali all about her life in Nevada and her dreams of the future. She didn't want to become a wife for a long time yet—she wanted to experience what life had to offer first. Of course there weren't a lot of things offered to a woman, but she was going to experience what she could before she had to settle down and listen to a husband tell her what to do.

This was rather unusual, because most of the girls around here only dreamed of getting married and having a family when they grew up. Not Amy! She didn't conform to what society thought was the right thing for a woman to do. She wore pants whenever she could get away with it, and occasionally let out a swear word if none of her family was around to hear it. She was exactly what Ali wanted in a friend!

Heavens, if Ben or Adam only knew how many things Amy and Ali would get into, they never would have introduced the two. They were just too independent and outspoken and wanted to make changes in Virginia City where they thought needed improvement. Never the less, the powers that be in Virginia City thought their little town was fine just the way it was. So naturally they had been the center of many heated disagreements in town lately. If Ben or Adam would have only known this, they would have locked Ali in her room and thrown away the key.

So when the election of the new sheriff was coming up, Amy and Alissa thought it was time to get the good women of Virginia City involved. And after meeting James Collins and hearing what he thought about women and politics, Alissa had just enough push to get her started. It was time for women to get the right to vote in local elections! Alissa and Amy had been talking to several of the ladies recently and convinced them that this was an important step for women. After all, they had a right to vote for sheriff because it was their town too.

So they had organized fifteen other women to join them on Saturday for a march. Ali decided marching down main street with signs and banners declaring they had the right to vote should be just what the founding fathers needed to give them a push in the right direction. The women had been working on the signs and banners all week and were ready for the big day! Of course this whole thing could blow up in their face, but they were willing to do it anyway.

Amy had come by to pick up Ali on Saturday morning with the excuse that they needed to do some shopping in town. Ali hurried and answered the door when she heard the knock.

"I'll get the door…it's probably for me."

"Good morning, Amy," she said sweetly, with a sly smile on her face as she opened the door.

Ali really didn't want to stay long at the house because she knew how bad Amy was at keeping secrets. She was a great ally when it came to doing causes together, but she just couldn't keep a straight face if she was asked a question and had to lie, especially if Adam was doing the asking.

"Alissa, what do you have planned for today?" inquired Adam, as he sat at the table enjoying his last cup of coffee.

"Uh, we're just going to do a little shopping in town," answered Ali, a little too quickly.

Adam raised his eyebrow as he looked over at Alissa. He knew her very well by now and could tell if something was probably going on that shouldn't be. And the look on her face told him that all wasn't as it appeared.

"I thought you had gotten everything you needed the other day when we went to town?" Adam asked casually, as he stood up and came over and stood in front of the two girls.

"Well, we are picking up a few things for Amy. She wanted me to go along and help her decide on some new material for a dress," Ali replied, rather nervously.

"That's nice, Amy, is it for the dance next month?" inquired Ben, as he got up from the table and went over to the sideboard to put on his holster and gun.

"Uh… uh," stammered a flustered Amy.

"Yes, that is what she needs it for," added Ali, hoping no one would notice her friend's nervousness.

But Adam did notice, and he decided to inquire into this shopping trip a little further. I know Alissa, and she definitely has something going on she doesn't want me to know about he thought. And you can bet if there is trouble, my girl will find it.

"Amy, you seem a little nervous. Is anything wrong?" Adam asked, as he narrowed his eyes and looked directly at her.

Great, that will be the end of Amy thought Ali, as she tried quickly to think of something to get Adam off of quizzing her.

"Oh, Adam, stop questioning Amy like she is on trial for something, for heavens sake," insisted Ali, as she tried to usher Amy towards the stairs.

"Yes, Adam, we have a lot more important things to attend to today other than women's apparel," chuckled Ben, as he was putting on his hat.

"We need to get going to the upper range to check on the stock and see if any of the cattle have strayed. Carlos came and got some supplies yesterday to mend one of the fences that had fallen down, so we may have lost a few head."

Ben stood by the open door waiting for Adam to get started. "Are you coming, Adam?"

"Very well, I'm coming."

Adam gave them both a suspicious look as he went over to put on his holster and hat. The whole time he continued looking at Ali, he wondered just what she had in store for the day. I'm sure I'll know soon enough he shrugged, as he buckled his holster and adjusted his hat.

The last time she had gotten herself in trouble in town, pa and I had to save her from an angry crowd of cattlemen. She and Amy were arguing with them about branding cattle and how it was inhumane. It was a long time before we could show ourselves in town after that little incident remembered Adam, while he continued watching her closely.

"You and Ben have a good day, Adam," Ali quickly offered, as she was leading Amy closer to the stairs.

"You too," replied Ben, as he went out the door, glad to be getting out on his ranch where he understood how things worked. Women still confused him with their way of thinking, and he was far more comfortable in the saddle working with cattle than trying to understand a woman's mind, especially Alissa's mind.

"I got a bad feeling about this," muttered Adam, as he went out the door and closed it behind him.

Ali grabbed Amy and pulled her over to the settee.

"You almost gave it away, Amy!"

The two girls sat down waiting for the men to leave. Amy finally let out a whoosh of air as she realized she had been holding her breath the whole time that Adam had been looking at them.

"I know, Ali, I am so sorry. I just have such a terrible time when someone asks me something and I have to tell a little lie. And when Adam looks at you with that look, it is hard not to tell him everything!"

"I know…that look is hard to get around. Believe me I know from my own experience," she frowned, as she stood up.

"I think they have gone now, so let's get going to town...our marchers await!"

Ali walked over to the sideboard and got her riding gloves out of the drawer and opened the front door. She peeked out the door and looked around the yard making sure Ben and Adam had left. When she knew the coast was clear, she and Amy made their way to the barn. Ali walked up to Freedom's stall and started to rub his soft nose.

"Well, my beauty, today is going to be a big day for us. Either we make a statement for women's rights, or Amy and I will end up in a lot of hot water. Then the 'you know what' is going to hit the fan," she laughed, as she brought Freedom out to saddle him.

"And I don't even want to think about what Adam might do to me if he found out about this. He keeps threatening me that he is going to wallop me good one of these days for my outrageous behavior, and this might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back for him," Ali muttered, as she threw Freedom's saddle blanket over his back and adjusted it in place.

"Oh well, sometimes you have to take one for the cause!" Ali laughed, as she led Freedom out of the barn.

TBC

Allisa's march doesn't end up quite like she hoped it would in chapter two.