“Does it look as if the Redcoats are responsible for their deaths?” asked Mathias.
“No, the English never stepped foot inside the place. We believe their entire operation remains intact. The iron, the forge, the tools, everything is still inside. And gauging by Thomas’s drawings, four of the boilers are complete. Even some of the engines look close to the drawings in their finished state. I’m certain if the Brits discovered the site they would’ve cleaned it out and made use of it themselves. If not the invention, then at least the iron.”
“Did you see any other bodies inside the mine beside those belonging to Matt and Josh?” Just as Mathias finished the question, Jolena stood in front of the library doorway. She still fussed with the ties of her robe. From the look of her tousled hair, it appeared she received very little sleep, if she got any at all.
“Is everything all right, Jolena?” he asked.
Jo caught and held his gaze as he asked the question. She found it difficult to sleep while the battle raged between heart and mind. One way or the other, she had to know about the dreams. She slipped out of bed intent on asking Mathias outright about his involvement. If he admitted taking part, then she needed to know if they truly reflected his feelings. At least she would finally get her answers and if nothing else, the knowledge would give her peace of mind. Her heart pounded with both anxiety and anticipation. As she took hold of the handle, she held her breath and turned the knob. Yet, just as she entered the room, Mathias said something about “bodies.”
Her gaze wandered about the room then as she took in the expressions each face presented. “You found Matthew and Joshua,” she said.
Sam cast a brief glance at his feet and nodded. Then as he lifted his gaze to meet with hers he said, “A short while ago, right before dawn. I just finished telling Mathias about the discovery. And Mathias, to answer your question, I’m sure no one else occupied the mine when the entrance sealed shut. We found no evidence of anyone else.”
“What are we going to do about them?” asked Jo.
“There’s nothing anyone can do,” Alexander replied. “The entrance has at least a foot of hard rock, solidly packed in front of it. The important thing is we found it. A mystery spanning two centuries is finally solved.”
Mathias nodded as he began to pace. “We now know that at the very least, General Washington, Jacob, Thomas, Matthew, and Joshua conceived a plan to aid the patriots. The bold and daring plan might’ve worked if given the chance. We’ll never know why the British executed Thomas. The possibility exists they simply found him at the wrong place, at the wrong time, carrying something that made them suspicious. They needed no other excuse than that.
“Nevertheless, his execution set off a chain of events. Jacob Weidmann learned of Thomas’s death through the British officers who used his home as their base of operation. Because of my cousin’s execution, those involved needed to relocate the operation elsewhere to ensure secrecy. Matthew and Joshua took on that task. Unfortunately, the mine entrance gave way, sealing them both and the entire operation inside. Meanwhile, Jacob wrote his letter to General Washington, notifying him of current events.
“As fate would have it, a trusted servant of the Weidmann household betrayed Jacob’s trust. He alerted the British army of the meeting I had with Elisabeth. A British company in turn conducted a search for me. They successfully ended our mission to retrieve the letter and get it into the hands of George Washington. At the same time, Peddelton must take responsibility for the death of Jacob Weidmann. General Washington probably never learned what happened to the men involved or to the plan itself. Without Thomas or his drawings, they couldn’t recreate it.”
“But we just can’t leave those men in there, Mathias. It’s just not right,” Jo said. “They might not have worn a uniform or served in a battalion at the time of their death, but they died for their country the same as all of you did. At the very least, they deserve a proper and decent burial. They deserve to come home.”
They gazed at each other for several long moments. Then his expression softened. “How would you suggest we get them out, Jolena? We can try, but I don’t believe we possess the ability to maneuver solidified rock. Even if we could, how would we explain it to those who’d witness the occurrence? Valley Creek has many visitors now and on a daily basis as I’m sure you know.”
“I don’t know.” A deep sigh escaped as Jo sat down feeling dejected. Each idea that engulfed her mind held an obvious flaw and needed discarding. Yet, she couldn’t allow Matthew and Joshua to remain entombed in such a place.
“Let me see if I can go back in there and find another way out,” Jedediah volunteered. “The Lenni-Lenape taught me there are many ways to advance through the mountains. Perhaps I can find one that connects to the mine tunnels.”
“Don’t you think if another way presented itself, Matt and Josh would’ve used it?” asked Alexander.
“Not necessarily, not if the cave-in killed them outright or if they remained so focused on the main exit, they spent their last breath trying to heave those rocks, instead of looking for another way out,” Jedediah replied.
“Jolena,” Mathias said as he knelt down and brushed the tangled hair away from her face. “If Jed can find another way to get inside, it means you’re going to have to go in there yourself. We’ll accompany you, of course. But I know of no other way to explain the discovery to the proper authorities. This also means you’ll see everything inside the mine that still exists, including the remains of Matthew and Joshua. Are you really up to all of that?”
“Mathias, if any one of your bodies rested inside that place, I would fight heaven and earth to get you out. I don’t think I should do any less for Matthew Brewster and Joshua Porter. All of you were part of the same mission, even if you didn’t know it at the time.”
“All right then,” Mathias said. He looked up at Jed and gave him a nod. “Go ahead and take some of the boys and see what you can find.”
Jed, along with Alexander and William, disappeared from the room. She could only pray they could find another way inside the mine. Matthew and Joshua deserved no less than a decent burial. Yet, at the same time, the notion brought her to another.
“Mathias, did you all receive a proper burial?” She never asked the question before, not even when they visited the Weidmann family cemetery. But what if no one ever found them out there in the woods?
He nodded, giving her the assurance she sought. “We did and not too far from here, actually. Our bodies rest at the old Lutheran cemetery just west of here. Would you like me to take you to the graveyard and show you sometime? You could pay your respects,” he teased, in an obvious effort to lighten her somber mood.
“Are all of you together?” she asked.
“Yes, we’re all together, ‘as in life, so as in death,’ I believe the minister said at our collective funeral,” he replied. “The church is gone now, but the cemetery remains and is well looked after.”
“Then, someday I would like to see it,” she said. Just not right now. Not when the vivid images of his death that early June morning so long ago, still filled her with so much anguish.
The day passed at a snail’s pace. Every moment she expected the boys to return. Yet, the hours ticked by, one tedious minute at a time. Mathias and Sam did their best to keep her occupied.
Nevertheless, time and again, she found herself wondering if they could accomplish such a lofty goal. Even if they did find a way to transport the bodies out of the abandoned mind, how could she explain it without mentioning Mathias and the boys? Her desire to protect them from public scrutiny far outweighed her desire to see Matthew Brewster and Joshua Porter properly buried. If it became necessary, she would leave the men where they were.
The wait seemed nigh on unbearable and she looked around for something with which to occupy herself. Perhaps she could make a file of evidence to submit to the authorities. She took one of the copies of Jacob Weidmann’s letter to George Washington and placed it in
a newly created file folder. Copies of the loose pages from Thomas McGregor’s journal dealing with the project, and copies of the drawings found inside the back and front endleaf, soon followed. She also made copies of the pictures she took in Scotland of the James Watt exhibit and in the cemetery. Then, along with the information from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, placed that evidence inside the file. With nothing more to add, she placed the file on top the desk. She glanced up at the clock. Two minutes to nine and they had yet to hear from the boys.
Just then, Dakota lifted his head in full alert. She glanced over in the direction of his excited gaze. Jedediah plowed through the wall just seconds ahead of the others. He wore a victorious smile.
“I think we found a way to get you inside, Jolena,” he said. “But you’re going to need a shovel and maybe even a small pick to make some of the passages wide enough for you to pass through.”
Jo rose to her feet and started for the doorway. “That won’t pose a problem. I’ll get some tools together and we can get out of here right now.”
Mathias stepped in front of her, impeding her progress. “Wait. Just wait, Jolena. You didn’t get much sleep last night. You’ve endured a long and trying day. The last thing you need to do is go running off through the mountain right now. Please, for me, go to bed. Try to get some sleep and we’ll all go at first light.”
Worry and concern filled his eyes as he spoke, and she just couldn’t deny his request. “All right, at least let me get everything ready tonight. I don’t want any unnecessary delay come the morning. Jedediah, how long do you think it will take us to get there?”
“I would think if the digging is easy enough, we should get you there in about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. It could take much longer, though,” he warned.
“Then I’ll plan on four maybe five hours to get there and back. I’ll need to take along some water, a few protein bars, fruit, and of course, I need to take my flashlight. I better take fresh batteries just in case, and I’m going to need my camera as well. We need to take pictures of the find and add them to the file.”
Even though Mathias wanted her to get some sleep, she found herself waking every couple of hours throughout the night. In truth, she really wanted to get this task done and over with. Finally, at about five a.m., Mathias knocked on her door. About twenty minutes later, they packed the car and then headed for the mine. Once they arrived at a specific area near Valley Creek, she parked her car and followed Jedediah as he led them along the fertile path of a dried-up riverbank. Finally, he halted their steps.
“This is the original entrance to the mine, right here,” Jedediah said as he pointed out the differences of color and texture on either side of the mountain’s rocky face.
Jo broke away some of the foliage so she could get a better look. The debris could also mark the exact point of entry to the other side for Carolyn and Ray’s benefit. During the drive, Mathias suggested she call them with her discovery as soon as they returned home. Their credentials made them the obvious choice to take over the site, and Jolena could trust them to carry out her wishes. She concurred.
“All right now, this way,” Jedediah said.
They continued their journey to the other side of the mountain. Jedediah soon stopped and said, “Follow me straight in through this opening, right here. I promise you, it’s bigger than it looks.”
The left side of the rock protruded a bit and then overlapped an opening she didn’t even see at first. She passed through it, and then extracted her flashlight.
“Mathias?” she called out anxiously, when she couldn’t locate him in the dim light.
“Right behind you, love,” he whispered.
So intent on following Jedediah’s lead, it took a few minutes for the endearment to sink into her consciousness. She wondered then, if he even truly said it. Not now, Jolena, she told herself. Don’t think of it now, lest you lose your concentration. Just as she took her next step, her boot slid on a pile of loose rocks and she slipped backward, thus proving her point. Nonetheless, Mathias kept her from pitching backward.
“Thank you,” she murmured and in return, he gave her waist a gentle squeeze.
“Okay, Jolena, this is where you might have to dig a little bit, but be very careful,” Jedediah said as he pointed to another, obscure passageway.
She nodded. In order to pass through the opening comfortably, she needed to make it larger. She retrieved the small hand pick from her backpack. With a few gentle strokes, the rocky dirt gave way. Dust filled her nostrils and in between the dull thuds, she coughed and sputtered until at last, she could ease her body through the opening. Once she crawled through the hole, she found herself in a more open area. The tunnel continued its twists and turns. Twice more she needed to dig in order to pass to the other side. At times, her leg muscles ached and burned with the effort to climb. Several times along the way, Mathias insisted she stop for a rest and some water. She found she needed both.
“We’re almost there,” Jedediah said. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I think I’m looking forward to the return trip, though. After all, the passageways are already dug and most of the time, we’ll travel downhill, am I right?”
“Right you are,” Jedediah said. “Now, Jolena, just around this corner is the connection to the tunnel that takes us to the bodies of Matthew and Joshua. Prepare yourself for what you’re about to see, all right? Remember we’re all here with you.”
Jo nodded and as Jedediah made the turn, she followed him through the corridor. After a few more turns, he led her into the cave. She found her composure slipping a bit as she gazed down on the remains of the two missing men. Mathias placed a comforting arm around her waist and she wanted so much to wrap herself in his arms in return.
Jo took a deep breath and then dropped to her knees beside the two men, lost to history for well over two hundred years. She envisioned the torment and grief their families suffered as they waited—endlessly waited for a husband, a father, who one day, never returned home. What a difficult thing to endure.
Finally, she stood up, retrieved her camera from out of her backpack, and took the required pictures proving her discovery. The pictures would offer indisputable proof she left everything in the condition she found it. The boys waited patiently for her to finish the task.
As Jolena focused on the bodies of Matthew and Joshua, Mathias turned her around to face him. He tilted her chin upward to meet his gaze. She didn’t know these men, but she grieved their loss just the same. “It’s all right, love, I’m sure they found their peace a long time ago,” he murmured.
Mathias looked over her shoulder just as Paul Sanders rounded the corner. The man entered the main part of the mine like some crazed madman. His arm rose up and without a shred of conscience or hesitation, aimed his pistol straight at Jolena’s head. At that point, several things happened almost simultaneously.
Mathias yelled for Sam who stood the closest to Paul. Sam, followed closely by the others, rushed toward Sanders. Despite their speed, they arrived too late. They grabbed hold of him just as he fired the weapon. Yet the force of their impact threw his aim off his intended target and sent the bullet spiraling upward.
While his men bolted toward Paul, Mathias took hold of Jolena and yanked her to the ground to avoid the projectile. Scant seconds later, a burst of fire belched flames in every direction at once. A deafening roar followed. The blast rumbled and shook throughout the mountain. Clouds of dust and falling rock spewed forth inside the cave. Mathias could do naught but watch in horror as the single blast from Paul Sanders’s weapon, set off an explosion formulated from centuries of noxious coal dust. The discharge resulted in another cave-in, sealing Jolena inside.
Chapter 28
Instinct drove Mathias to cover Jolena’s body with his, but it served no real purpose. Several large rocks battered, and then covered a portion of her body. Using the force of his anger, he sent the offending stones flying toward the wall. They smas
hed against it, and fell to the ground in crumbling pieces. He brushed the long strands of hair from off her face and inspected her from head to toe, looking for any outward sign of injury.
“Jolena,” he whispered. “Jolena, can you hear me. Please—”
She didn’t respond to his voice. He could see from the slight rise of her chest that she still breathed. Right now, he would ask no more than that. She still lived and he would fight against any force in heaven or hell to keep her that way. He looked up and found the boys working to chuck the rocks that blocked the passageway. The air inside this chamber wouldn’t last, despite the small gap at the top of the rubble. A gap which merely served to prolong the inevitable.
“We’ve got to get some help,” Mathias said. “We can’t shift all the rocks in time to save her life.”
Sam turned around to face him and with a look of determination on his face said, “Tell me what you want me to do.”
“E-mail,” William suggested, coming toward them. “What if we send an e-mail to that friend of hers? We can write it so she’ll think Jolena penned it. We’ll tell her she needs to come straight away and see what she found. Once she hears the details, I’m sure she’ll come.”
“Yes, we could do that, but what if she doesn’t read it soon enough to do us any good?” asked Alexander.
“We’ll have to see to it that she does read it in time. The only other alternative is to explain the situation to her personally,” Sam declared through clenched teeth. “Either way, I don’t care.”
“We may have to go look for her,” Jedediah warned. “And then we’ll need to make sure she comes out here quickly and finds the right place. I think the best option is to look for someone who’s already outside and aware of the ruckus.”
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