* * * * *
The alarm clock sitting on the fence post next to the barn announced it was sunup; time to begin a fresh new day. Robert is already awake before the rooster crowed and has been for a while; he had spent a terrible, restless night. Robert could not get the Bible verse out of his mind.
At the breakfast table, no one speaks. It is as if someone had died. No one wants to be the first to say something; finally, Mattie Ann clears her throat and says, “I’ve been giving Pappy Scarburg’s Bible some serious thought...” At this proclamation the others sniggered and grinned; she pays them no mind and continues; “Now what if Pappy was trying to tell us about some real silver and gold?”
“Ah, Mattie Ann,” said Stephen, “what are you talking about, you don’t mean real silver and gold?”
“Now listen up! Mama told me and Lizzie when that big fight took place at the Mill, y’all know, the time Pappy Scarburg got his self hung. Mama you tell them the story about those heavy wagons and such.”
“I’ll concede to the story man – Robert you tell them about the Battle of Scarburg Mill. You know more about it than anyone.”
“Now don’t y’all get too hasty, but Mattie Ann I believe you might be on to something. Granny Scarburg told me that story a hundred times: During the Revolutionary War and the Battle of Scarburg Mill, there was a Rebel Captain by the name of John Coker. He and his men were part of a South Carolina Ranger Regiment that had been escorting and guarding a couple of heavily loaded wagons from Dahlonega, Georgia to General George Washington. Granny said during the fight the Captain burned the two wagons, and he and his men escaped into the woods.”
Stephen, now interested, jumped in, “What was in the wagons that the Captain had been guarding?”
“Granny never said, but I always had a feeling she knew, but just would not tell what the wagons contained.”
Luke threw his hat in to the conversation, “Father! What if the wagons were carrying gold?”
“While in prison at Point Lookout I had a very good friend, his name was Benjamin Dunway. Ben was from Dahlonega, Georgia. He said the only thing worth hauling out of his hometown was gold from the local gold mines. Mattie Ann is right – that verse is telling us about gold, real honest to goodness gold!
“Good, now we’re on the right path – anyone else have any ideas? Look at the Bible verse again, someone must surely see what Pappy was trying to tell us.”
Matthew responded, “Father what is the name of Pappy’s church?”
“Pappy John’s church? Well, they just called it the Meetinghouse, no wait! The House of the Lord, that’s what the old folks used to call it! I’ll be darned, I see what you’re getting at Matthew, ‘gold was found in the house of the LORD,’ that’s what Pappy is saying! So, the meaning of the verse is beginning to be revealed, we should look in the Quaker Meetinghouse to find the gold.”
“Father, aren’t you leaving something out?” Asked Luke.
“No, I don’t think so, we know where we might find the treasure – in the Meetinghouse.”
“Look at the rest of the verse, it says the ‘gold’ was found in the house of the Lord, but the ‘treasures’ are in the ‘king’s house’.”
“Father,” Luke asks, “was anything known as the ‘king’s house?”
“Of course! The King’s House – Scarlettsville’s Masonic Lodge Number One was called ‘The King’s House’ back in Pappy John’s day. You all have solved Pappy Scarburg’s mystery. We will find the gold in the Church and the Masonic Hall.”
Luke joins the conversation, “I believe that might be the real meaning of 2K186, but Father, how do we get inside those two places and start looking. I do not think the members will be too eager to allow us to go in and start tearing the floorboards up. Anyway, I’ll almost have to see that gold to believe it.”
“You’re right Luke. I will go into town and talk to the elders of the church and the Brothers of the Masonic Lodge. I think when I fully explain what they have to gain; they will be enthusiastic to oblige, and in fact, they might even help us search.”
Malinda had been listening quietly to the entire conversation that was taking place, finally, she spoke, “Robert you and the boys are forgetting one important fact – even if you all have the Bible verse figured out correctly we do not own that gold.”
“What are you saying Mother, sure it will be ours, we will be the ones that found it!” Said Luke.
“No Son, it will not be yours, it belongs to the government of the United States, remember this gold was hidden, if gold was indeed hidden, during the Revolutionary War. That Patriot Captain Coker was guarding those two heavy-laden wagons on his way to deliver whatever was in them to General Washington.”
“But Mother...”
“No buts, the gold, if any is found must be returned to the Treasury of the United States.”
Luke and Matthew still wanted to argue, “The United States, they are the enemy, give the enemy our gold? Mother this is not right!”
“Boys, the United States was the enemy, but as you know, we are not fighting them anymore; we are now all citizens of these United States. Remember your father’s excellent speech at the dedication under the old oak? I think he made it crystal clear; we must all once again become Americans.”
“Your mother is right, this gold is not ours, and it does truly belong to the government as bad as I hate to admit. If we find anything, it will have to go back to the original owners. When I meet with the officials of the church and Masonic Lodge, I will explain this fact to them also.”
THE MEETING
The day is hot. Late July is always hot in this part of South Carolina in mid-summer; Six men have gathered in the office of Scarburg Mill, the air is filled with dust from the grinding stones. Three of the gentlemen are Elders of the Scarlettsville Meeting House, and the other three are officers of Masonic Lodge Number One.
Elder Lindley raises a question, speaking to no one in particular, “Why do thee reason Master Robert would invite the Elders of the Meetinghouse and the Officers of thy Masonic Lodge to assemble ourselves in this dusty place?”
“You are right Elder Lindley,” announces Robert entering the room. “Let us move ourselves to the area underneath the big oak out in the Mill yard. It will be cooler and the air fresher out by Mink Creek. Once there I will explain my reason for having interrupted your busy day to come talk with me.”
The men find resting places around a couple of the wooden tables left over from the 4th of July festivities. Robert follows behind as the men become comfortable, “I know you are asking why I have invited you here today? I will dispense with the formality of small talk and get right to the point. I have reason to believe that something valuable is hidden in your church Elder and in your Masonic Lodge Worshipful Master,” he said waving his arm about the men’s heads.
The Master of the Lodge Lonnie Taylor asks, “Robert are you saying some valuable item is hidden both in the church and in our Lodge, how can this be possible.”
“I see what you mean Worshipful Master Taylor, I think I misspoke. I did not mean to imply that the ‘something valuable’ is singular; I believe it to have plural implications. I have deduced this will be found in you gentlemen’s church,” he said speaking to the Elders, “and also in your Lodge Lonnie.”
“In both our places, what could be valuable hidden in both their church and our Lodge?”
“Gold!
The six men sat startled, they looked questioningly at each other, but no one spoke.
“Gentlemen if you do not have any pressing appointments for the next hour or so I have a very interesting story to tell.” Obviously if they did, they were abandoned. They wanted to stay and hear what Robert was so interested in – gold. Robert talked to them for more than an hour. He explained the two heavily loaded wagons, the British and Patriot fight at the mill, the burning of the wagons and the disappearance of the cargo the soldiers were guarding. He told of his friend Ben f
rom Dahlonega, GA and the gold mines. Finally, he finished with the puzzle left by his Pappy – 2K168. He explained how his family had figured out what the message meant that John Scarburg was leaving in 2nd Kings, Chapter 16, Verse 8 of the King James Version of the Holy Bible. When he finished, the men sat speechless.
Robert can see the look amazement on the faces of the men sitting around the two tables, especially the Superintendent of Works for the Lodge. He is the official who keeps the inventory, and is responsible for the material possessions of the Masonic Lodge. It is his responsibility to see that the Lodge is properly prepared for the ceremonies and that everything is safely locked away at the end of the evening. In Lodge Number One, the Superintendent is James Earl Brown. James looks at Robert; “I’ve been a Brother of Lodge One for nearly fifty years and Superintendent for almost twenty. Robert I know every crook and cranny of our Lodge and every item within and without. I can assure you, there is no gold hidden in our Lodge!”
Elder Lindley parroted almost the same refrain about the Meetinghouse. He said his great-great-grandfather along with Jacob Ingram constructed the House of the Lord, and he could say without a shadow of a doubt there isn’t any gold to be found in that old building either.
“I believe both of you reason you are correct, but I also think both of you are wrong! Pappy Scarburg did not leave us that 2K168 puzzle for nothing. He knew we would figure it out someday There is gold hidden somewhere in your two buildings. Will you help me find it? That is the only way we are going to know for sure.”
THE SEARCH
Nine a.m. the next morning a group of eighteen men congregate in front of the Meetinghouse. Robert steps up on the small entryway porch and addresses the searchers, “Men I thank you for coming this morning. In a few minutes, we will enter the good folks of Scarlettsville’s Meetinghouse. Remember, this is ‘The House of the Lord’ and we do not want to tear this wonderful old building apart. Your duty is to look at places within the building where things might be hidden – look at the boards. Do they fit properly? What about the nails? Are they original, or have they been replaced? Check the planks for saw marks, do they seem original or do some appear different? Some of you go into the loft and check, a couple more crawl into the belfry and see what’s up there, I guess no one has been up there in years. The gold we are looking for is not going to be easy to find, if it were it would have been found years ago, but I believe with all my heart it is here, we just have to find it. Good luck, now let’s get to work.”
In an hour or so the Meetinghouse looks like a plague of rats has overrun the building. Men are on their knees poking and prodding every board and plank some are even on their stomachs looking carefully to see if they could discern any imperfections in the surfaces.
As the noon hour approaches, the women folk bring an assortment of food and drink for the searchers. Robert takes this opportune time to question each and every man – no one has seen anything out of the ordinary. “Let’s give it another few hours and if we find nothing we will call it a day. Again I thank each and every one of you who has volunteered their time and efforts.”
At five p.m., Robert assembles the workers. “Men you have tried your hardest to find the gold I thought was hidden within these walls. I’m beginning to believe I interpreted my grandfather’s Bible verse incorrectly. Before we break for the day does anyone have anything they wish to say, or did anyone find or see anything they thought might be out of the ordinary and worth mentioning?”
Young Billy Baird speaks, “Mr. Scarburg, I know I have not lived here in Scarlettsville all my life, but I thought it strange that when me and John here,” he said pointing, “ went into the bell tower we found the ropes to the bells rotten and decomposed beyond use. It appears the bells haven’t been used in years.”
“Ye are correct young Billy,” answers Elder Lindley, “those old bells have never been used since the Battle of Scarburg Mill back in 1771. That’s over eighty years the bells have remained silent.”
“Why? Asks Billy.
Elder Lindley looks confused, “I don’t know young Billy, I have always supposed it was to honor John Scarburg and his two sons William and Isaac that was murdered by the British after the battle. I personally have never heard the bell’s ring myself.”
Robert concluded the search by saying, “That’s okay Billy; you did an excellent job today, all of you did. Tomorrow we meet again at 9 a.m. in front of the Masonic Lodge, and we will go through the same procedure as we did with the church today. Get a good night’s rest and come back tomorrow fresh for a, hopefully, rewarding search.”
That night at supper the whole family is seated around the table. Malinda speaks to Robert, “Don’t be so dejected, you will find something in the Masonic Lodge. Now eat, you will need your strength tomorrow.”
“I just can’t understand it Luke; I thought we had figured out the mystery of Pappy John’s Bible. Where did we go wrong?” He said with his elbows on the table, and his head buried in his hands.
“Mother is right Father; we will find the gold tomorrow – have faith.”