For the Love of Gold — Janelle Diller

Colorado 1896. Keziah Fursman hurries home alone after school. Hairless Henry Stokes, an oddball miner follows her and warns her that her father had better stop taking his gold. Her family does not understand the message. Some months later, the family gains full ownership of a mine Daniel Fursman, Keziah's father, grubstaked veteran minor Jeb Rowley to. Jeb died under curious circumstance. Daniel would prefer selling the mine to mining it.

Two mining town fires destroy the town. Although Daniel is tempted to mine the vein he's found, since he's the town's best carpenter he's overwhelmed with work in rebuilding Cripple Creek. The family's gold fever is put on hold A neighbor, Mr. Schmieder, does strike a rich vein and immediately buys a huge house with all its accouterments. Keziah and her family are jealous. It appears that mining has made a better life for the Schmieder's. Daniel decides to reopen his mine, but promising veins play out quickly, and the family finds itself in debt from the mine's expenses. They begin to see that all is not well with the Schmieder family. Keziah faces the truth: the Schmieder's were poor and unhappy. Now they are rich and unhappy. Fortunately for the Fursmans, Ethel Blake agrees to buy their mine as payment for their debts at her supply store.

Keziah and Daniel return to the mine once more to collect his tools. Henry Stokes kidnaps her, still believing that Daniel was stealing his gold-just as Jeb Rowley did. Keziah reasons with him. To check her story, he returns to Cripple Creek. He later releases her, unharmed. Keziah finally understands that the most precious gold is her family. The novel has richly developed characters, and it is filled with historical atmosphere.