After digging up the grave of Lucian Cooley in Dry Gulch, the Oak Hill Gang (Royce, Ezra, Louis and Jack) get some much needed rest at the local hotel, where they’ve been leasing two rooms. All seem interested in following the map to Beacher’s Mill they found in Lucian’s coffin.
The next day The Boys saddle up to the location in question and find it to be a long abandoned flour mill. One of the men discovers a crate with a false bottom, which opens up to a reveal a ladder descending into darkness…
One by one, the men climb down the ladder. After procuring lanterns, they find themselves in a small mine. On a nearby plank-table, they see a faded picture of the mill with three figures standing proudly in front of it: two men and woman. (They later learn by looking through other records these are the Beacher siblings.) It appears as though they died about 50 years ago.
Further exploration of the area revealed a larger cavern with an odd, mechanically enhanced spider. The Boys make quick work of it, killing it before the spider’s poisonous bite makes much of an impact on them.
They make their way further into the caverns, past a pool of clear water, and see light ahead. Taking the lead, Royce slowly moves down a passage that opens up into a small cave. He sees a sarcophagus flanked by two lit braziers. Sitting on the sarcophagus is a large, cloaked figure with its back to the explorer. The figure turns…and Royce and his companions see something they won’t soon forget. A creature dressed in boots, tan formal pants and a black duster that seems bound to his skin. He has metallic claws that extend from his fingers and a bat-like cloak. The skin is all but gone from his face. The eye sockets of his skull burn with fire.
The creature draws a wicked looking six shooter – forged in Hellfire – and fires at Royce. Apparently he didn’t appreciate interruptions.
Royce grimaces in pain as bullets sear into his body, doing extra fire damage.
Jack and Louis rush to Royce’s aid while Ezra sharpshoots behind the body of the mechanized spider. Multiple rounds of gunfire are exchanged between The Boys and Creature. This unholy terror was the gang’s toughest foe they’ve encountered. But eventually, after some close combat, they destroy the undead spirit.
Searching what’s left of the spirit, they find a small magical chest. It appears to be a chest of holding that can change in size. And inside the chest is a monocle, revolver, vest, guitar and hat. All with magical properties. The loot is divvied up.
And after piling some wooden planks around the sarcophagus, The Boys also ultimately open it up and see a long-rotted skeleton wearing a wedding dress. The skeleton is about the same size as the woman seen in the picture they came across earlier.
Exploring the the rest of the caverns, the men find a large storage area and a curious squarish-rock surface with an eye-shaped inlay of gold. Two skeletons are also found along with shovels and other tools. Turns out the pool of water is actually a pool of healing. So the boys fill a small keg with healing draughts. They have 704 doses.
Looking through some of the notes and papers, the group puts together that the skeletons in the mine were the Beacher brothers who ran the mill. And the skeleton in the sarcophagus was their sister, who was married to Lucian Cooley. Maybe it was the spirit of Lucian Cooley guarding over his beloved bride. Or maybe, as Jack Kollath would later say, it was just some weird shit The Boys stumbled across.
Both could be true.
Dry Gulch Bugle 