On Monday morning, Boone sent the crew up the mountain without him. That day, they would be finishing the lightbulbs and running a test to make sure the electricity worked. After what had happened to Doni on Saturday night, Boone had decided to stay back to make sure Donella got to work at the mayor’s office with no problems. It had shaken him badly to see someone manhandling her the way those men had a couple of days ago. They were lucky they got away before Boone beat his anger out on them. He was reminded again how much his little town with changing, and it wasn’t all for the good.

He waited in the dining room until she came down the stairs, then he jumped to his feet, holding his hat in his hands. He didn’t know how it was possible, but he thought her more beautiful every time he saw her. She was already wearing her red wool coat that draped all the way down to her ankles. Her black velvet bonnet was still in her hand, allowing him to marvel at the braids and curls and tucks that she arranged to lift her hair off of her neck.

“Good morning, Doni. I’d like to escort you to work today if you’ll let me.”

He enjoyed seeing the smile grow on her face.

“I would like that very much,” she said. “Do you have a sleigh or will we be riding Magnificent?”

He hadn’t even thought that it would be more comfortable for her to ride in a carriage. In the future, he’d have to think about luxuries she’d want. “I only have Magnificent today. I could bring a sleigh tomorrow.”

“No need. I much prefer riding double with you.”

He felt exactly the same way. “Have you eaten?”

“Yes. I had a tray brought up to my room. I’m ready to leave now.”

Boone offered her his arm and walked her out to the horse shelter. He again seated her on the back of the horse pillion style and savored the moment she wrapped her arms around his waist.

He dropped her off at the city office and watched her walk inside. Before she shut the door, she looked back and waved.

He was about an hour late when he reached the Mother Lode mine. Inside the huge cavern, he approached his brother and Asa Young. Rafe Shaw of the King Silver mine walked in behind him.

“The sockets are all in place,” Holt reported with a smile. “And the men are just putting in the final lightbulbs. We’ll be able to run the test in about half an hour.”

Asa Young pointed his finger across the room. “It’s a marvel that those spindly wires and the thin glass bulbs are going to make much of a difference in the caves tunnels, but I trust that you’ve seen it in Telluride, and I’m glad you gave me first chance,” he said.

Would he think it worth the bother? Boone’s pulse matched the sweep of anxiety he felt. This had to work.

As the teams finished in the tunnels, they made their way back to the front cavern. In a small shed that they had built to shelter the steam engine, Holt stood ready to switch it on.

Boone pointed toward each of the tunnels. “I need men to go back into the tunnels and stand between the lightbulbs. I don’t want you to look straight at them in case they burst. The glass could put your eye out. I don’t expect that will happen, but if you would keep your back to them just the same, I’d appreciate it.” Boone took a deep breath. “Mr. Young if you’re facing the front of the cavern with me, we’ll give the signal for the lights to go on.”

Experienced men volunteered and took a new man with them to their assigned place, and signaling through the tunnel that they were ready.

“Holt, flip the switch!” Boone yelled.

The sound of the engine was as noisy as a freight train. There was a slight hum that could be heard as the electric lights flashed to life, making shadows fall in star patterns across the dirt floor from where every man stood as lights illuminated them from every side. Shouts of surprise echoed off the walls toward them. Many of the men working there were seeing electric lights for the first time.

Soon the call of “All’s clear” came up every tunnel, and men rejoined them in the cavern.

“Mr. Young, you have an electric power plant and electric lights. The first in Creede, Colorado. Congratulations.” Boone’s emotions swung between relief that nothing had gone wrong and pride that it had worked as planned. He stuck out his hand and shook Asa’s.

“That’s something,” Rafe Shaw said, still watching the bulbs glow. “That’s really something. When will you start at King Silver?”

“We’ll go over to Hidee Hole in a couple of hours. You’re after them.”

“I’m glad we’re next,” Colin Hunt said.

“Congratulations, Asa.” Then Mr. Shaw said to Boone, “and I look forward to you coming,”

Every man shook Asa’s hand as they left the cavern. Holt and their three crews gathered up their tools and supplies left for the Hidee Hole. Boone was the last to leave.

“How long will the lights last?” Mr. Young asked.

“Most bulbs last two or three months. They’re easy to switch out too. One of us will come by every day and night to check on the steam engine for a while and to train the men you have to run it. It’s best if several people know how to run it just in case they have to.”

Asa turned in a slow circle, looking at the gleaming lights, bringing daylight to the cavern. He blew out a low whistle. “I’m glad to recommend you and your fine work around town, Boone. Feel free to use my name.”

Boone reached out and shook his hand again. “We appreciate your endorsement. We’re hoping to light up the whole town.” The money that would start coming in would be good, especially with three crews to pay.

Boone started for the next mine. It wasn’t far, but like every time he had a moment to himself, Doni’s lovely face filled his mind. He wondered what she’d think of the lights. Her eyes already seemed to sparkle. He wondered what the reflection of the lights would do to them. She would be entirely enchanting with the fascination that would overtake her expression. He set his mind on showing her. Soon.

He wondered if she’d have time to come the next day. She had mentioned that she worked, but also that she only worked a part of a day. It’d be Tuesday, and she’d likely go to tea with his mother again. He’d ask his ma to come and invite Doni along. Surely they’d both want to see it.

He tried out the words. “Ma, would you like to see the electric lights?” That seemed like it would work for Ma, but how would he include Doni and not all the ladies that had been at the tea party last week?

He’d have to be patient and invite them when only those two were together. Maybe tonight at dinner.

He arrived at the Hidee Hole. As soon as Boone was inside, he and Holt began calculating the equipment needed and the time it was going to take to finish that job. The men began to bring in the equipment and supplies.

Mr. Hunt met him in the cavernous opening to the mine. “I can’t say that there is anything that can cause a man to marvel more than when those electric lights were turned on. Maybe if the sky ripped open, and we could see heaven—maybe that. The lights are much brighter than the oil lamps we’re used to having. Of course, the men will still use that deep down in the tunnel, but that’s a drop in the bucket compared to what we’ve had to light up here at the top.”

“We’ll have this done before Christmas,” Boone told him. “Then you can marvel at your own lights as much as you want.”

The crews set to work, wiring the Hidee Hole. They were nearing the end of their work for that day when Noah Mitchell of the Old Glory mine stopped by.

“Have you been up to the Mother Lode, Noah? The light are on,” Boone said, extending his hand.

Noah backed away without shaking it. “We got a problem. You do anyway.” He handed Boone a piece of paper.  

Boone unfolded it. “Do business with the Morgans and you’ll regret it.” He turned it over—nothing on the back. “How did you get this?” he demanded.

“One of my men found it on the floor after the first shift came through this morning.”

“What do they mean ‘regret it?’”

“Don’t know or care. It could be the mine, or my family, or even to me personally. I don’t want to find out. Electric lights are a fine idea, but I’m going to back out for now. Let some of the other mines take the risk. We’ll do it later if there really is no threat.”

“Thanks for the information. We’ll be more careful now,” Boone said. In the back of his mind, he knew that they’d have to work fast if someone were already trying to scare them away.

Noah left. Boone would talk to Holt about it later.

The crews worked hard that day. The excitement of seeing the Mother Lode project completed set a fire in them. Boone would make it worth the men’s while. If they save him time on completing the installations, he would still pay them the amount of money he would have spent in payroll on completing the projects. They had a whole town to put lights in, and he wanted an energetic crew to help him do just that. At the end of the day, they had completed a day and a half’s worth of work.

When they came down the mountain that night, Boone told Holt about the letter.

“So he quit?” Holt asked.

“As good as. He said he’d wait to see if the other mines had trouble before he had us work at the Old Glory mine.”

Boone noticed that Holt waited at the bottom of the road to ride along with the equipment down Main Street. He must be thinking along the same lines as Boone—increase their security.

When Boone entered Hearth and Home, his eyes went directly to the table where he usually sat with his ma and Doni. Instead, Waylon and Vivian sat there with Ma.

“Miss Turley was called out with Hannah Wheeler to visit some patients,” his mother said. “She, Hannah, and Marshall Wheeler took bagged meals with them, so I don’t think she’ll be back to eat with us.”

Vivan and Waylon excused themselves, and Boone ordered some supper. He knew Doni was becoming important in his life. He missed her. He wanted to spend every day with her, to get to know everything about her. There was one surefire way to do that and it involved a preacher.

“I’d like to take you up to the mine where we finished installing the lights. I thought we could go after you have Tuesday Tea.”

“I’d like that.” Ma got a mischievous glint in her eye. “Do you mind if I bring a friend along? Miss Turley might like to see that too.”

“I don’t mind. I’ll pick you up here at four o’clock tomorrow.”

The next morning, Boone went to work, but was looking forward to bringing Doni up to see his work.

Asa Young was waiting for Boone when he arrived at the Hidee Hole mine. “One of the men on our last shift broke out a bunch of lights,” he said as he extended his hand. “We don’t know who, but all the lights down one tunnel are broken.

Boone’s stomach tightened. The threatening note was left at the Old Glory mine, but Asa was reporting damage at the Mother Lode. Was this part of the threatening note that Noah Mitchell showed him yesterday? Breaking a few lights was an added expense, but easy enough to fix. He hoped the two weren’t connected. In their warehouse, they had several boxes of lightbulbs that they had intended to use in the King Silver. Since that one wouldn’t get wired, they could use the ones he had for the Hidee Hole and replace them later.

As he rode off with Asa, Boone said, “You might want to put a few people you trust to keep an eye on each shift.

“I’m thinking the same thing.”

Boone replaced all the broken bulbs and noted it was just about time to go down the hill and pick up his mother and Doni. He dropped off the extra equipment at the Hidee Hole and headed down the mountain.