Melissa was thankful that Jacy had been over around meal time all last week to help with the cooking even thought she had been mostly there to lend a hand with the PEG. Jacy hadn�t been over all day today. She knew her sister was having problems with the saloon, mainly there were no customers, so Melissa figured that Jacy probably wouldn�t be over any time soon. Upon coming to that conclusion, she decided to take some of her own money and eat somewhere else tonight. As she was leaving Melissa told Kimberly about her plan to eat elsewhere, and Kimberly mumbled goodbye while studying over her notes for the next issue.

She was walking down the street trying to decide where she wanted to eat when she saw Ted. He stopped and asked her where she was going. "I�m either going to the hotel or the Silver Spoon for supper."

"Where�s Jacy?" Ted glanced around hoping to see her nearby.

"She�s probably in the saloon." Melissa said as she thought about Jacy and Jimmy working together. As far as Melissa knew, no one knew that she was the instigator in the switch. She smiled thinking of her devious plan to get Jacy and Jimmy together. Now if she could only get Cody to like someone else and leave Jacy alone. He was partnered with Charity at the square dancing, maybe she would make a perfect match for him. She said goodbye to Ted and made up her mind to eat at the Silver Spoon since Charity worked there.

As she entered the restaurant she overheard Charity and Elena talking. As soon as they saw Melissa they clamed up, but it was too late. She had already heard all she needed to know. They weren�t square dancers at all. They were phonies. This could work to her advantage. "Hello Charity, Hello Elena."

Charity and Elena saw the grimace on the young girl�s face, and they knew she had overheard them. Charity frowned at Elena, and Elena was about to threatened Melissa if she told anybody, she�d be in big trouble, but Melissa spoke first. "So you aren�t really square dancers. You�re pretending, so that you can be partnered with a certain guy." Seeing the suspicious stares she continued, "Don�t worry, I won�t tell anybody. Maybe I can help you." They both wondered why Melissa would want to help them. "I could teach you the lessons before Thursday night. That way you would already know them, and no one would suspect that you don�t know them.

The girls liked the idea, but they were still a little weary of her." Noticing that they still weren�t sure about her, Melissa said, "I in return would like a favor."

Elena knew it. There was a catch. "I knew their was a reason. It couldn�t be from the kindness of your heart." Elena spat.

"Hold on, let�s hear her out." Charity said. After Elena calmed down, Charity continued, "So tell us what do you want?"

"I just want you to keep Cody away from Jacy as much as possible." Melissa slyly replied.

"Is that all?" Charity asked.

"Yep!" Melissa smiled.

"That�s easy enough. Besides I like him. I can do that." Charity smiled back at Melissa. They had made an agreement.

Elena finally smiled since Melissa had joined them. "We�ll make a great team." She announced.

"Great! When do you want to meet for lessons?" Melissa asked.

"It will have to be at night, so no one will see." Elena explained.

"Alright, but I can�t stay out to late." Melissa frowned.

"Why not?" Charity asked.

"Because I have school." Melissa explained.

"But you�re the teacher now, not the student." Elena said.

"Yeah, you�re right. Do you want to have a lesson tonight?" Melissa had forgotten that she was the teacher and didn�t have to do any homework or study. Both girls said yes.

"Where will we practice so no one will know?" Charity asked. That was a good question, and neither one of them had an answer. They concluded that they would all ponder on solving the problem and see what they came up with.

Melissa sat down at a table and ordered. After her meal she sought out Elena and Charity. She suggested that they ride out to her land where Tally had finished the barn, and where him and Joshua were working on building hers and Jacy�s home. They didn�t work when it got close to dusk, Melissa explained to them, so it should be safe there. The ladies agreed.

As Melissa was leaving Tally entered the restaurant, and Melissa turned around and smiled and winked at Elena and Charity. Elena persuaded Tally to buy her supper, and then she had him walk her to the bordello. She knew she could get the night off because Sundays were never very busy.

That night shortly after dark and after the Silver Spoon had closed, the three gals met at the livery. Elena had been the first one to arrive, and she had the horses all saddle and ready to go when Charity and Melissa arrived. They rode out of town to Melissa�s soon to be new home and they practiced the square dance moves for a couple of hours.

Tally was leaving the saloon, and he saw Charity sneaking down the street toward the livery. At least it seemed she was sneaking down the road because she kept glancing over her shoulder looking around as if she might see someone. And also because she tried her best to stay in the shadows. She didn't see Tally because he was on the boardwalk close to the building, and it was dark.

Tally grabbed the reins of his horse and walked slowly down the street. He stopped and stood still when he saw three ladies on horses riding out of town. Now what were they up to? He decided to follow them.

He was surprised to see what they were doing as he watched from the storage room. The storage room had an outside door and was attached to the barn, so the girls didn't know that Tally was there. Tally left before the girls did without ever letting his presence be known. Tally would think about what he had seen, and maybe he could use this knowledge to his advantage somehow.