Algorithm - Book 1 - The Medallion

Chapter 5

"That's because I had to go into some water to get it."

Years of experience prompted her to replace elation with suspicion. "And what exactly is it?"

Luke reached into his pocket and brought up his closed fist, and as if to dramatize the pending revelation, he opened it upturned, one finger at a time. Hedda gasped. In his outstretched hand Luke held a real wonder. It was a shimmering gold rod, about three inches long, maybe a quarter-inch thick. Luke moved her toward the kitchen where the light was better. The two of them had never seen the likes of it.

"Ya found that in the mine?"

"Yup. Me and Mihal."

"What is that? Part o' some kinda machine?"

"That's what we thought too. Maybe a drill bit broke off and left this behind. But, no way, the gold color makes it clear it's from somethin' else. Hedda, I think it might be gold. And, it looks like there's more o' the stuff still stuck in the coal seam … down there for the takin."

"Jeez."

Hedda sat down on a stool and continued to gaze at the wonder.

"Mihal?  He were with you?" Before Luke could respond, she asked "What about Herman?  What'd he say?"

Herman was the gangway boss. Luke and Herman didn't get along very well.

"Well, Mihal were with me … and Herman, well, he weren't there. Besides, he'd never let us keep the stuff we found."

Hedda's astonished face remained fixed on Luke as he went on.

"It were the end o' the shift, and Herman were at the shaft entrance, unloadin' the buggies. We were up in the gangway, with Mihal mannin' the tap and feedin' the coal down the chute. It was the last load, and with it came a heap o' water."

Hedda reached out to feel Luke's sopping shirt and overalls. "Where's that water comin' from exactly? Say it ain't the river."

"The seam's leadin' us closer and closer 'neathe the Susquehanna. Leaks've been showin' up here and there. It's just seepage. Anyhow, I saw it right away, shinin' nice and bright with my lamp light. It was at the bottom o' the buggy I were loadin' so I just swung myself over and in. Just as I grabbed it, Mihal yelled down to me that there were some shiny metal pieces in the new wall. I told 'im that I got one, and that's when Herman showed up."

Hedda's eyes closed.

"So I slipped the thing in my pocket, climbed out and called up to Mihal to come on down … that Herman were here. He knew well enough to keep his mouth shut."

"So why were ya so late comin' home?"

"Well, Herman had some ideas about cleanin' up and movin' the last few buggies up the track, and so he volunteered the two of us, as we were the last ones in the shaft. Mihal and me, we decided to keep our little secret 'til the mornin' when we could scrape out more o' the stuff. I finished my end of the cleanup and got over here as fast as I could."