The Cowboy's Hidden Agenda. Kathleen Creighton

Though her face was turned toward him, its expression was hidden from him by shadows. He could only hear her confusion in her voice.

      He didn’t even try to keep the irony out of his. “That’s the sovereign and independent nation of Liberty. The laws of the oppressive and totalitarian regime known as the United States of America have no dominion here.”

      “You people have your own country?” She had missed the irony. No longer sounding the least bit sleepy, her voice cracked on the last word.

      He gave it some thought, debating whether to point out to her that, as a matter of fact, his people were indeed a sovereign nation. “Well, now, I’m not sure whether you could call Liberty a country, at least not yet, but we have declared our independence from the U.S. of A., yes, ma’am.”

      “Why?”

      He intoned, “‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights—”’

      “You’re quoting me the Declaration of Independence?” Lauren squeaked, edging toward outrage before adding sourly, “And, anyway, it’s ‘inalienable rights.’ At least get it right!”

      “You sure about that?” Bronco pretended surprise.

      “Yes, I’m sure. It’s ‘inalienable’—everybody knows that.”

      Her tone—huffily superior—amused him. “Well, now,” he said somberly, “maybe you ought to look it up before you go and bet the farm on that.”

      “Bet! Who said anything about a bet?”

      “So, you’re not sure.”

      “Of course I’m sure—I’m a lawyer, dammit! Don’t you think I know the Declaration of Independence?”

      “And I’m a revolutionary,” Bronco countered in an even tone. “We take our creeds pretty seriously. And by the way, it goes on to say that ‘whenever any form of government becomes destructive to those ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government…as shall seem to them most likely to effect their safety and happiness.’ End of quote. That’s all we’re doing here—exercising our rights as set forth by our founding fathers.”