Leaving Black Horse, Ezra, Jack, Louis, Royce follow the map found in Lloyd Watsbough’s travel bag to something the Apache Indians call the Dreamcatcher temple. (Lloyd stole the map from Retired Colonel Bill Cooley). The Boys ride three days, eventually winding through steep canyons, thankful for the shadows cast over narrow paths.
After a turn or two, they find the ancient temple. Four 25′ high pillars frame the entrance to an antechamber. Along the back wall is a huge, faded and aging tapestry depicting Apache Indians camping under a night sky. Near the center are stairs descending into darkness. After killing a large fire breathing lizard, the boys light a few lanterns and head down…
The main hall is a fifty-feet-square area. Two rows of stone pillars flank the north and south sides. The ceiling in between both pillar rows glows magically and portrays the night sky. The impression is so good it looks like there’s no ceiling.
A ray of white light comes from a narrow passage to the east and hits a strange mechanical device. The contraption features three standing round mirrors and one floor-mirror with a dragon sigil emblazoned on it. The mirrors reflect the light between them and then to the one on the floor. This mirror projects the light upwards to the ceiling. There are gears, levers, and rails so that each one of the three standing mirrors can move around to adjust the flow of light.
In each of the corners of this large room are four slightly larger than man-sized stone statues of Apache Indian warriors. In the center of the chamber is a stone structure that looks like a table. A clear outline of a body is carved on the top of it. Runes are along the edges. The table radiates magic.
The Boys explore the temple, eventually battling a spirit that roamed between the stone statues and three wraiths in a burial chamber.
Finding a secret room through a fireplace, they come across a variety of potions and instructions for how to use the contraption in the main hall. Each one of them takes a lie-down on the stone table in the center of the main hall. Each of the men have a vision as they take turns sleeping on the altar under the night sky:
- Someone picking the lock of a chest
- Shady McCoy on a gallows, about to be hanged
- The Boys riding up to a place nestled in a scrub pine forest
- A woman looking at a framed picture of a man (Jack and Louis recognize him as one of two train robbers)
- A dainty hand grabbing a wanted poster of Oak Hill Gang written in Chinese
- Father Rastus on top of a tower, preaching around a large fire brazier
What do the visions mean?
Exploring the area further, they also come across a large obelisk surrounded by snakes. Ezra translates the Apache symbols inscribed on the obelisk that warns of dire consequences should anyone disturb the dreamcatcher necklace placed over the obelisk.
They decide to leave it be.
And packing up, eventually the boys ride to Dry Gulch.
Dry Gulch Bugle 