diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:33:27 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:33:27 -0700 |
| commit | 13a1a1f4207a9bbcc2ec80822c70a8dc46ae480f (patch) | |
| tree | 1e3dea3e782b8beeab859aac139e39249024c74a | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 60441 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-h/26968-h.htm | 1681 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-h/images/001.png | bin | 0 -> 40271 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0067.png | bin | 0 -> 54596 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0068.png | bin | 0 -> 77543 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0069.png | bin | 0 -> 94072 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0070.png | bin | 0 -> 1869154 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0071.png | bin | 0 -> 70128 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0072.png | bin | 0 -> 74286 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0073.png | bin | 0 -> 72183 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0074.png | bin | 0 -> 72082 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0075.png | bin | 0 -> 76462 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0076.png | bin | 0 -> 73619 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0077.png | bin | 0 -> 70855 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0078.png | bin | 0 -> 69061 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0079.png | bin | 0 -> 69329 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968-page-images/p0080.png | bin | 0 -> 54025 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968.txt | 1093 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26968.zip | bin | 0 -> 18284 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
22 files changed, 2790 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/26968-h.zip b/26968-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d36cfc --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-h.zip diff --git a/26968-h/26968-h.htm b/26968-h/26968-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ca108d --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-h/26968-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1681 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Summer Snow Storm, by Adam Chase + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: left; clear: both; padding-left: 4em; text-indent: -4em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .blockquot {margin: 1em 10%;} + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center; width: 326px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + img {border: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .bk1 {width: 25em; margin: 2em auto;} + .p1 {text-align: center; margin-top: 2em;} +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Summer Snow Storm, by Adam Chase + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Summer Snow Storm + +Author: Adam Chase + +Illustrator: Llewellyn + +Release Date: October 19, 2008 [EBook #26968] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUMMER SNOW STORM *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1><big>SUMMER<br /> +SNOW STORM</big></h1> + +<h2>By ADAM CHASE</h2> + +<div class="bk1"><p><i>Snow in summer is of course impossible. Any weather expert will +tell you so. Weather Bureau Chief Botts was certain no such +absurdity could occur. And he would have been right +except for one thing. It snowed that summer.</i></p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It was</span>, as the expression +goes, raining cats and +dogs. Since the Weather Bureau +had predicted fair and +warmer, the Weather Bureau +was not particularly happy +about the meteorological state +of affairs. No one, however +was shocked.</p> + +<p>Until it started to snow.</p> + +<p>This was on the twenty-fifth +of July in the U.S.A....</p> + +<p>Half an hour before the +fantastic meteorological turn +of events, Bureau Chief Botts +dangled the forecast sheet before +Johnny Sloman's bloodshot +eyes and barked, "It's all +over the country by now, you +dunderhead!" Then, as an +afterthought: "Did you write +this?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Sloman miserably.</p> + +<p>Slowly, Botts said, "Temperature, +eighty degrees. Precipitation +expected: snow. +<i>Snow</i>, Sloman. Well, that's +what it says."</p> + +<p>"It was a mistake, Chief. +Just—heh-heh—a mistake."</p> + +<p>"The prediction should +have been for fair and warmer!" +Botts screamed.</p> + +<p>"But it's raining," Sloman +pointed out.</p> + +<p>"We make mistakes," said +Botts in a suddenly velvety +voice. Then, as if <i>that</i> had +been a mistake, bellowed: +"But not this kind of mistake, +Sloman! Snow in July! We +have a reputation to maintain! +If not for accuracy, at +least for credulity."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Johnny Sloman. +One of the troubles was, +he had a hangover. Although, +actually, that was a consequence +of the real trouble. +The real trouble was his +fiancee. Make that his ex-fiancee. +Because last night Jo-Anne +had left him. "You—you're +just going no place at +all, Johnny Sloman," she had +said. "You're on a treadmill +and—not even running very +fast." She had given him back +the quarter-carat ring tearfully, +but Johnny hadn't argued. +Jo-Anne had a stubborn +streak and he knew when Jo-Anne's +mind was made up. So +Johnny had gone and gotten +drunk for the first time since +the night after college graduation, +not too many years ago, +and the result was a nationally-distributed +forecast of +snow.</p> + +<p>Chief Botts' first flush of +anger had now been replaced +by self-pity. His red, loose-jowled +face was sagging and +his eyes became watery as he +said, "At least you could have +double-checked it. As a member +of this Bureau you only +have to fill out the forecast +once every ten days. Is that so +hard? Is there any reason +why you should predict snow +for July 25th?" His voice became +silky soft as he added, +"You realize, of course, Sloman, +that if this was anything +but a civil service job +you'd be out on your ear for a +stunt like this! Well, there +are other ways. I can pass +over you for promotion. I <i>intend</i> +to pass over you until +the crack of doom. You'll be a +GS-5 the rest of your working +life. Are you satisfied, Sloman? +Snow in July ..." Chief +Botts' voice trailed off, the +Chief following it.</p> + +<p>Johnny sat with his head in +his hands until Harry Bettis, +the GS-5 weatherman who +shared his small office with +him, came in. Naturally, +hangover or no, Johnny had +reported for work first. +Johnny was always first in +the office, but it didn't seem to +do any good. Now, Harry +Bettis could come in an hour +late and read the funnies half +the day and flirt with the secretarial +staff the other half +and still be Chief Botts' odds-on +favorite for the promotion +that was opening next month. +Harry Bettis was like that.</p> + +<p>He came in and gave +Johnny the full treatment. +First the slow spreading +smile. Then the chuckle. Then +the loud, roaring belly-laugh. +"Gals outside told me!" he +shouted, loud enough so the +girls outside would know he +knew they had told him. +"Snow! Snow in July! Sloman, +you kill me! You really +do!"</p> + +<p>"Do you have to shout?" +Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"Do I? We all ought to +shout this. To the rooftops! +Sloman, my foot. You have a +new name, sonny. Snowman! +Johnny Snowman."</p> + +<div class="figright"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="326" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +<small><b>Thick mud held him while terror ravened at his heels.</b></small></div> + +<p>Johnny groaned. Instinctively, +he knew the name +would stick.</p> + +<p>"Hear you had a little trouble +with the gal-friend this +past p.m.," Harry Bettis +clucked in a voice which managed +to be both derisive and +sympathetic.</p> + +<p>"How did you find out?" +Johnny asked, but knew the +answer at once. Jo-Anne was +a roommate of one of the Bureau +Secretaries. It was how +Johnny had met her.</p> + +<p>"You know how I found +out, Snowman. Well, that's +tough luck, kiddo. But tell me, +does that mean the field is +wide open? I always thought +your gal-friend—your <i>ex</i>-gal-friend—had +the cutest pair +of—"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing to do with +whether the field is open or +not open, I'm afraid."</p> + +<p>"Well, don't be. Afraid, I +mean," Harry Bettis advised +jovially. "If the gal could +make you pull a boner like +that, you're better off without +her. But I forgot to ask Maxine: +can I have little Jo-Anne's +phone number? Huh, +boy?"</p> + +<p>Before Johnny could answer, +the three-girl staff of +secretaries entered the small +office. Entered—and stared.</p> + +<p>"That's all right, girls," +Harry Bettis said. "You +didn't have to follow me in +here. I'd have been right out."</p> + +<p>But they weren't staring at +Harry Bettis. They were staring +at Johnny. Their mouths +had flapped open, their eyes +were big and round. Johnny +didn't, but Harry Bettis knew +that look on a girl's face. +Without any trouble at all, +Johnny could have made any +of those girls, right there, +right then, without even trying.</p> + +<p>They gawked and gawked. +One of them pointed at the +window. The others tried to, +but their hands were trembling.</p> + +<p>The one who was pointing +squawked: "Look!"</p> + +<p>The second one said, "Out +the window!"</p> + +<p>The third one said, "Will +you!"</p> + +<p>Outside the window on the +twenty-fifth of July it was +snowing.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It was an hour later. Telephones +were ringing. Long-distance +calls from all over +the country now that the +ticker had gone out with the +incredible fact that it was +snowing in the Northeast in +July. Most of the calls, +though, were from Washington. +Chief Botts disconnected +the PBX and walked in a +dazed, staggering fashion to +Johnny, smiling weakly and +saying:</p> + +<p>"Sloman, I misjudged you. +Genius, right here, right now, +in this office, and we never +knew it. Sloman, I have to admit +I was wrong about you. +But how did you know? How +did you ever know?"</p> + +<p>"Hell's bells," Harry Bettis +said before Johnny could say +it was all a mistake. "That's +easy, Chief. Anyone knows +that <i>all</i> rain starts out as +snow. It's got to. You see, the +droplets of moisture in the +cold upper regions of a cloud +condense around dust particles +because the air up there +is too cold to hold them as +vapor. Since it's below freezing, +snow is formed—snow +which warms up as it passes +through hotter air en route to +the ground, and—"</p> + +<p>"That will be quite enough, +Bettis," Chief Botts said. "I +am a weatherman too, you +know. You don't have to tell +me the most elementary of—"</p> + +<p>"In this case, Chief," Bettis +persisted, "the biggest inversion +layer you ever saw kept +the surface air down and +brought the cold upper air +very close to the surface. Result: +the snowflakes didn't +have a chance to melt, not +even to freezing rain. Result: +snow!"</p> + +<p>"The chances of that happening," +said Chief Botts +coldly, "are about one in a +billion. Aren't they, Sloman, +dear fellow?"</p> + +<p>"One in two billion," +Johnny said.</p> + +<p>"He <i>is</i> modest," Chief Botts +told the staff. "He seems so +unconcerned."</p> + +<p>Just then Maxine came into +the little office. The look of +awe on her face had been replaced +by one of sheer amazement. +"Well, I checked it, +Chief," she said. "Wait until +I tell Jo-Anne!"</p> + +<p>"Won't you please tell us +first?" Chief Botts asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Maxine, +and read from the memo pad +in her hand. "Since coming to +work for the Bureau, Johnny +Sloman has once every ten +days made our official forecast. +I have checked back on +his forecast, Chief, as you directed. +Johnny has made +fifty-five forecasts. While only +one of them—startlingly—has +called for snow in July—every +single one of them has +been right."</p> + +<p>There was a shocked silence. +"But—but the Weather +Bureau average is only +eighty-eight percent!" Harry +Bettis gasped.</p> + +<p>"You mean," Chief Botts +corrected him, "eighty-eight +percent is the figure we try to +foist on the unsuspecting public. +Actually, the Weather Bureau +averages a bare seventy-five +percent, and you know +it."</p> + +<p>"But Sloman's got a hundred +percent accuracy—up to +and including snow in July," +Harry Bettis said in a shocked +voice.</p> + +<p>"It was only an accident," +Johnny said in a mild voice. +"I didn't mean to write +snow."</p> + +<p>"Accident, smaccident," +said Harry Bettis. "It was no +accident with a record like +that. You have the uncanny +ability to forecast weather +with complete accuracy, +Johnny-boy. You realize what +that means, old pal?"</p> + +<p>"I'd better call Washington +and tell them," Chief Botts +said, but Harry Bettis held +his arm while Johnny mused:</p> + +<p>"I guess I realize what it +means, Harry. That is, if +you're right. No more getting +wet on picnics. Because I'd +know. I'd know, Harry. No +more going to ball games and +having them rained out on +you. No more being caught +by a thunderstorm at the +beach ..."</p> + +<p>"Johnny!" Harry Bettis +said. "Think, pal. Think!"</p> + +<p>"I'm calling Washington," +Chief Botts said. "This is too +much for me."</p> + +<p>But Harry Bettis was still +holding his arm. "Now, just a +minute, bucko," he said. +"You're not calling anyone—not +without his manager's +permission."</p> + +<p>"Whose manager's permission?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Mr. Sloman's manager's +permission, of course. +In a word, me."</p> + +<p>"This is preposterous!" +Chief Botts cried.</p> + +<p>"Is it?" Bettis asked. "Listen, +Johnny, don't let anyone +sell you a bill of goods—like +the Civil Service Commission +giving you a GS-8 rating and +sending you to Washington. +Because stick with me, kid, +and there'll be great things in +store for you, you'll see."</p> + +<p>"Such," said Maxine dubiously, +"as what?"</p> + +<p>"Are you on our side?" +Harry Bettis asked her suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"I'm on Jo-Anne's side. If +old Johnny here has something +she ought to have, I +want to know it."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"You mean, if she ought to +change her mind and marry +him? I'll admit it even if I +think Jo-Anne's a real cute +trick: she'd be nuts if she +didn't." Women, Harry Bettis +did not add, never came between +Harry Bettis and ten +percent of a gold mine. But +that's what he was thinking. +He went on: "Just think of it, +Johnny. Drought in the Midwest. +They call Sloman. Sloman +predicts rain. It rains. +Have any idea what they'd +pay for a stunt like that? Or +swollen rivers in New England, +or California. Looks like +another big flood is on the +way, but they call Sloman. +Looks like rain, kiddo? That +don't matter. Predict a dry +spell and it won't rain. Do +you know," Harry Bettis said +in a devout whisper, "what a +stunt like that would be +worth? Millions."</p> + +<p>"Yeah, wise guy," said +Maxine. "So what's in it for +you?"</p> + +<p>Harry Bettis did not look +at Maxine when he answered. +He looked at Johnny and said, +"I'll be frank, kiddo. You +have the talent, but you don't +have the salesmanship to promote +it. Do you want a mediocre +job while the weather +boys exploit you for the rest +of your life or—do you want +greatness, riches, and Jo-Anne?"</p> + +<p>"Jo-Anne," Johnny said.</p> + +<p>Harry Bettis nodded. "My +price is twenty-five percent."</p> + +<p>"Of Jo-Anne?" Maxine asked +suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"Of everything Johnny +makes as the world's first <i>real</i> +Weather Man. Not a forecaster—a +commander. Because +when my client forecasts the +weather, it happens. Brothers +and sisters, it happens." He +turned abruptly to Johnny, +said, "You have any money +saved up?"</p> + +<p>"A few hundred dollars, +but—"</p> + +<p>"An ad in the papers. +Alongside the article telling +how it snowed on July twenty-fifth. +Saying that your services +are for hire. We're a shoo-in, +kid!"</p> + +<p>"Well, if you say so," +Johnny said doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"So don't call D.C.," Bettis +told Chief Botts.</p> + +<p>"But Sloman's an employee +of this Bureau."</p> + +<p>"Was, you mean."</p> + +<p>"What did you say?"</p> + +<p>"Was an employee. He ain't +an employee now. He's quitting—with +his manager," +said Harry Bettis, and walked +out of the office, steering a +dazed Johnny Sloman with +him.</p> + +<p>"Wait until I call Jo-Anne," +Maxine said.</p> + +<p>During the next six months, +Johnny Sloman—known to +the world as The Weather +Man—made fifty million dollars. +Since it had taken a +whole lifetime for him to develop +his remarkable talent, +his lawyers were trying to +have capital gains declared on +the earnings rather than +straight income tax. The odds +seemed to be in their favor.</p> + +<p>How had Johnny made his +fifty million dollars? By predicting +the weather. He predicted:</p> + +<p>A flood in the Texas panhandle—in +time to save the +dry lands from going entirely +arid.</p> + +<p>An end of the snowstorms +in northern Canada—which +had trapped the five hundred +residents of a small uranium-mining +town without food or +adequate drinking water.</p> + +<p>The break-up of Hurricane +Anita—which had threatened +to be the most destructive +ever to strike the Carolina +Coast.</p> + +<p>No frost for Florida that +winter—a prediction still to +be ascertained, but a foregone +conclusion.</p> + +<p>Every prediction had come +true. In time, the world began +to realize that his predictions +were not predictions at all: +they were sure things. That +is, they predicted nothing—they +<i>made</i> things happen. +Johnny was in demand everywhere +and naturally could not +fill all engagements. Harry +Bettis hired a whole squad +of corresponding secretaries, +whose job it was to turn +down, with regret, some ninety +percent of the jobs requested. +Johnny, in fact, was +in such demand, that his engagement +to Jo-Anne—which, +of course, had been reinstated +at her insistence—remained +only an engagement. The nuptials +were put off, and put off +again.</p> + +<p>This suited Harry Bettis, +who saw to it that Johnny +kept putting off the marriage. +Because, ultimately, Jo-Anne +would reach the end of her +proverbial tether and decide +that Harry's twenty-five percent, +if it could be shared +as a wife, was better than +Johnny's seventy-five percent, +if it could not.</p> + +<p>Jo-Anne, though, was not +that kind of girl. Harry Bettis, +knowing no other kind of +girl, never understood that.</p> + +<p>The scientists, meanwhile, +had a field day with Johnny. +His strange talent obeyed no +natural law, they said, and at +first attributed it to random +chance. Soon, though, this became +patently impossible. +And so a new natural law was +sought. All types of hair-brained +theories were proposed, +none of them accepted, +until an osteopathic physician +in Duluth, Minn., hit upon the +theory that staggered the +world with its simplicity and, +eventually, was accepted as +that which explained the +strange phenomenon of +Johnny Sloman.</p> + +<p>The osteopath, many of +whose patients suffered from +rheumatism which was aggravated +by the bitter Minnesota +winters, suggested that +Johnny Sloman was a case of +rheumatism in reverse. The +weather, he pointed out, had +an adverse effect upon the +symptoms of his patients. +Conversely, why couldn't some +human being—a Johnny Sloman, +for example—affect the +weather in precisely the same +way that the weather invariably +affected his rheumatic +patients?</p> + +<p>It was clear, simple, lucid. +It was the only theory which +could not be disproven by the +weight of scientific knowledge. +It thus became the accepted +theory.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"The Under-Secretary of +Defense to see you," Maxine +said one day during the winter +following Johnny's July +snowfall.</p> + +<p>"Don't see him," Harry +Bettis said. "You don't want +to see him."</p> + +<p>"But why not?" Johnny +asked.</p> + +<p>"Because they'll make you +a dollar-a-year man and we're +not in this to make any stinking +dollar a year," Harry Bettis +said.</p> + +<p>"Well, I think I ought to +see him, anyway. At least see +him." He turned to Jo-Anne, +who was sitting at the next +desk, writing up some reports. +"What do you think, Jo?"</p> + +<p>"If the country needs you, +Johnny," she said, "it's your +duty to help."</p> + +<p>Johnny told Maxine, "Show +the Under-Secretary in, +please."</p> + +<p>He was a small man with a +big brief case. He spoke slowly, +earnestly, backing up his +statements with reams of +paper from the brief case. The +Defense Department had not +contacted Johnny right away, +he said, because they wanted +to compile all the facts. They +had all the facts now.</p> + +<p>Johnny Sloman could be the +biggest single factor for peace +the world had ever known.</p> + +<p>Item. In the event of aggression, +he could so bog +down the aggressor's supply +lines and troop movements +with continuous rains and +snowstorms that it would be +all but impossible for the aggressor +to maintain hostilities.</p> + +<p>Item. In the event that such +tactical weather-war failed, +he could cause a drought in +the aggressor's food-producing +regions, forcing the aggressor +to surrender or face +starvation.</p> + +<p>Item. He could always, conversely, +see to it that the defensive +force's supply lines +were never hampered by the +weather and that the precipitation +over the defensive country's +breadbasket was ideal.</p> + +<p>Item. He could render aggressor +communication difficult +with heavy fog and/or +icy roads.</p> + +<p>Item. He could cover defensive +troop movements with +low, dense clouds.</p> + +<p>In short, concluded the +Under-Secretary, Johnny Sloman +could be a one-man world +police-force practically guaranteeing +peace. He stopped +talking. He looked at Johnny. +His eyes said, the call of duty +is clear.</p> + +<p>Harry Bettis said, "Well, +thank you for your time, Mr. +Secretary. Naturally, we'll +think about what you said."</p> + +<p>"Think about it!" gasped +the Under-Secretary. "Think +about it!"</p> + +<p>"My client is a busy man—the +busiest man in his field," +Harry Bettis said.</p> + +<p>The Under-Secretary smiled +bleakly. "The only man in +his field, you mean. That's +why we need him."</p> + +<p>"We'll send you a report in +a few weeks," Harry said indifferently, +"after we've had +an opportunity to study the +situation."</p> + +<p>"But, Harry—" Johnny began.</p> + +<p>"Johnny," Harry said. He +did not have to finish the +statement. It had happened +before—"Johnny, I've made +you a tremendous success. I'm +your manager, aren't I? Let's +leave it that way."</p> + +<p>"If Johnny thinks he ought +to help—" Jo-Anne said.</p> + +<p>"Now, Jo-Anne," Harry +Bettis scolded, and led the +Under-Secretary to the door.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Three days later, the assistant +chief of the F.B.I. came +to see them. "We regret this, +Sloman," he said.</p> + +<p>"You regret what?" Harry +Bettis asked.</p> + +<p>"Defense allowed a report +on its findings out. That was +unwise. We'll have to give +you around-the-clock protection, +Sloman."</p> + +<p>"Protection from what?" +Johnny wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"Enemy agents. The enemy +is desperate. At all costs, according +to their intelligence +reports, they're out to get +you."</p> + +<p>"Get him?" said Harry Bettis. +"You mean, kill him?"</p> + +<p>"I mean, get him. Get him +on their side. Because everything +Johnny could do for the +forces of peace and democracy, +he could be made to do +for the forces of aggression. +You see?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Johnny.</p> + +<p>"No," said Harry Bettis. +"This sounds like a government +trick—to make Johnny +go to work. To make him +think it's his patriotic +duty—"</p> + +<p>"Well," said Jo-Anne sharply, +"isn't it?"</p> + +<p>Harry Bettis smiled. "When +he gets as big as Universal +Motors, he can become patriotic."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Sloman," the assistant +F.B.I. chief said, "they +will either try to kidnap you +outright, or work on you +through someone you love. +Therefore, our bodyguards—"</p> + +<p>"Well, let them keep their +distance, that's all," Bettis +said. "Bad for business. Nobody +wants enemy agents +hanging around."</p> + +<p>"That's your final decision?" +the F.B.I. man asked.</p> + +<p>"Well—" began Johnny.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it's our final decision," +said Harry Bettis, +showing the F.B.I. man to the +door.</p> + +<p>"I don't think you should +have done that," Johnny said +after he had gone.</p> + +<p>"You just make the weather, +Johnny-boy. I'll take care +of business."</p> + +<p>"Well—" said Johnny.</p> + +<p>"Johnny!" cried Jo-Anne. +"Oh, Johnny! Why don't you +act like a man?" And she ran +from the room, slamming the +door.</p> + +<p>After that, Johnny didn't +see her again.</p> + +<p>She was gone.</p> + +<p>Really gone, for certain, +not simply walking off in a +huff.</p> + +<p>Two weeks later, Johnny +got the letter—unofficial—from +the Enemy.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The F.B.I. was sympathetic, +but the Chief said, "You +can understand, Mr. Sloman, +how our hands are tied. It is +not an official letter. We can't +prove anything. We don't +doubt it for a minute, of +course. The cold war enemy +has kidnapped your fiancee +and taken her to their motherland. +But—we can't prove it. +Not being able to prove it, we +can't do a thing about it. +You're aware, of course, of +how readily the rest of the +world condemns our actions. +Not that they wouldn't be on +our side if we could prove +that this kidnap letter was +the real thing, but you realize +we won't be able to prove it at +all."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Johnny. He went +home. He saw Harry Bettis, +who said he was shocked. The +note read:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Mr. Johnny Sloman:</p> + +<p>We have Miss Jo-Anne +Davis here in the motherland. +The only way she can +live a normal life here is if +you join her and work for +us. We believe you know +what the other kind of life +is like here.</p></div> + +<p>Bettis said, "It stumps the +hell out of me, Johnny."</p> + +<p>"I'm just waking up," said +Johnny slowly. "In a way, it's +your fault."</p> + +<p>"Now, don't be a jackass, +Johnny."</p> + +<p>Jackass or no, Johnny hit +him. His knuckles went +crunch and Harry Bettis' nose +went crunch and Bettis fell +down. He lay there, his nose +not looking so good.</p> + +<p>Now, when it was apparently +too late, Johnny knew +what his course of action +should have been. Get rid of +the money-grubbing Bettis. +Go to work for the government +unselfishly. Insure +world peace.</p> + +<p>Too late ... too late ...</p> + +<p>Because unless he could +somehow save Jo-Anne, he +would never predict the +weather again—for anyone.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"But what you ask is impossible!" +the Secretary of +Defense said a few days later.</p> + +<p>"If I come back, if I'm successful," +Johnny said quietly, +"I'm your man, for as long as +you want me, without pay."</p> + +<p>"You mean that?" the Secretary +asked slowly.</p> + +<p>"I mean it."</p> + +<p>The Secretary nodded grimly, +touched a button on his +desk. "Get me Air Force +Chief of Staff Burns," he said, +and, a moment later: "Bernie? +Chuck here. We need a +plane. A jet-transport to go +you-know-where. Cargo? One +man, in a parachute. Can you +manage it? Immediately, if +not sooner. Good boy, Bernie. +No ... no, I'm sorry, I can't +tell you a thing about it." The +Secretary cut the connection, +turned to Johnny:</p> + +<p>"You leave this afternoon, +Sloman. You realize, of +course, there isn't a thing we +can do to get you out. Not a +thing."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Johnny.</p> + +<p>"You're a very brave man, +or very much in love."</p> + +<p>Hours later, the jet transport +took off with Johnny in +it.</p> + +<p>He came down near what +had been the border of the +motherland and Poland. He +began to walk. A farmer and +his son spotted the parachute, +came after him. The son was +a Red Army man on leave. +The son had a gun. He fired +prematurely, and Johnny ran. +It was hopeless, he decided. +He would never make it. He +would never even reach the +capital alive, where they were +holding Jo-Anne.</p> + +<p>He ran.</p> + +<p>He wished for rain. A +blinding rainstorm. The +clouds scudded in. The rain +fell in buckets. The farmer +and his son soon lost sight of +Johnny.</p> + +<p>Just to make sure, Johnny +ran and let it go on raining.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Floods in their motherland," +the Secretary of Defense +told the President. +"Naturally, their news broadcasts +are trying to keep the +reports to a minimum, but +these are the biggest floods +we've ever heard of over +there."</p> + +<p>"Our man is there?" the +President asked.</p> + +<p>"He was dropped by parachute, +sir!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It was snowing when +Johnny reached the capital. +He had been parachuted into +the enemy's motherland, naturally, +because propinquity +alone assured the success of +his strange talent.</p> + +<p>He was tired. His feet +ached. He'd been the only one +heading for the capital. Hundreds +of thousands had been +fleeing from the floods ...</p> + +<p>"There he is!" a voice cried +in the enemy language. He +didn't understand the language, +but he understood +the tone. His picture had been +flashed across the length and +breadth of the motherland. +He had been spotted.</p> + +<p>He ran. Down an alley, +across a muddy yard, floundering +to his knees, then his +thighs, in thick mud. They +came floundering in pursuit. +They fired a warning volley +of shots. He stumbled and fell +face down in the black, stinking mud.</p> + +<p>They took him ...</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Dark room. One light, on +his face. A voice: "We can +kill you."</p> + +<p>"Kill me," he said. "My last +wish will be for rain. Rain, +forever."</p> + +<p>"We can torture you."</p> + +<p>"And I will say, before you +start, let it rain and go on +raining. Let me be powerless +to prevent it. Rain!"</p> + +<p>"We can kill the girl."</p> + +<p>"Your country will float +away."</p> + +<p>A fist came at him out of +the darkness. Hit him. It was +tentative torture. He sobbed +and thought: rain, harder. +Rain, rain, rain ...</p> + +<p>Water seeped into the dungeon. +This had never happened +before. The fist went away.</p> + +<p>Outside it rained and +rained.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"What does he want, comrade?"</p> + +<p>"We don't know, comrade."</p> + +<p>"Give it to him—whatever +it is. He has disrupted our +entire economy. We face economic +disaster unless he—and +his rain—leave us in peace."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps that is what he +wants. Peace."</p> + +<p>"You fool! We are supposed +to want peace. Shut up!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. Comrade."</p> + +<p>"Better ask the party secretary."</p> + +<p>"Yes, comrade."</p> + +<p>The party secretary was +asked. The party secretary +sighed and nodded.</p> + +<p>Johnny saw the light of +day. And Jo-Anne.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A month later, the Secretary +of Defense told him. +"Thanks to you, they agreed +to a German settlement, stopped +sending arms to their +Red ally in Asia, withdrew +their promise of aid to the +Arab fanatics, and have freed +all foreigners held in their +motherland illegally."</p> + +<p>Johnny listened, smiling at +Jo-Anne. They had been married +two weeks. Naturally, +the enemy had been only too +glad to see them leave.</p> + +<p>"Just stay available, Sloman," +the President beamed +from alongside the Secretary +of Defense. "As long as they +know we can always send you +over there again, they'll never +try anything. Right?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Johnny.</p> + +<p>They called him the Weather +Man. They went on calling +him the Weather Man, although +he retired more or less—except +during cases of dire +emergency.</p> + +<p>The world called him that, +the Weather Man. And, because +he had retired to enjoy +life with his new wife, they +began to suspect, as could be +expected, that he had been a +fraud.</p> + +<p>But the enemy did not +think so. Ever again.</p> + +<p>And that was enough for +Johnny.</p> + +<p class="p1"><b>THE END</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> October 1956. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Summer Snow Storm, by Adam Chase + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUMMER SNOW STORM *** + +***** This file should be named 26968-h.htm or 26968-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/9/6/26968/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/26968-h/images/001.png b/26968-h/images/001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c3c94db --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-h/images/001.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0067.png b/26968-page-images/p0067.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a09428a --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0067.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0068.png b/26968-page-images/p0068.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c7d27d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0068.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0069.png b/26968-page-images/p0069.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6a5353c --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0069.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0070.png b/26968-page-images/p0070.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e7d315a --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0070.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0071.png b/26968-page-images/p0071.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8078049 --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0071.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0072.png b/26968-page-images/p0072.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..31681e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0072.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0073.png b/26968-page-images/p0073.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bc0716d --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0073.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0074.png b/26968-page-images/p0074.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c8e47c --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0074.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0075.png b/26968-page-images/p0075.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e6470e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0075.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0076.png b/26968-page-images/p0076.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bc18f6d --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0076.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0077.png b/26968-page-images/p0077.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..917c93f --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0077.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0078.png b/26968-page-images/p0078.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..894cf3a --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0078.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0079.png b/26968-page-images/p0079.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fcf5626 --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0079.png diff --git a/26968-page-images/p0080.png b/26968-page-images/p0080.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e22aa06 --- /dev/null +++ b/26968-page-images/p0080.png diff --git a/26968.txt b/26968.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..54825fe --- /dev/null +++ b/26968.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1093 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Summer Snow Storm, by Adam Chase + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Summer Snow Storm + +Author: Adam Chase + +Illustrator: Llewellyn + +Release Date: October 19, 2008 [EBook #26968] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUMMER SNOW STORM *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + SUMMER + SNOW STORM + + By ADAM CHASE + + + _Snow in summer is of course impossible. Any weather expert will + tell you so. Weather Bureau Chief Botts was certain no such + absurdity could occur. And he would have been right except for one + thing. It snowed that summer._ + + +It was, as the expression goes, raining cats and dogs. Since the Weather +Bureau had predicted fair and warmer, the Weather Bureau was not +particularly happy about the meteorological state of affairs. No one, +however was shocked. + +Until it started to snow. + +This was on the twenty-fifth of July in the U.S.A.... + +Half an hour before the fantastic meteorological turn of events, Bureau +Chief Botts dangled the forecast sheet before Johnny Sloman's bloodshot +eyes and barked, "It's all over the country by now, you dunderhead!" +Then, as an afterthought: "Did you write this?" + +"Yes," said Sloman miserably. + +Slowly, Botts said, "Temperature, eighty degrees. Precipitation +expected: snow. _Snow_, Sloman. Well, that's what it says." + +"It was a mistake, Chief. Just--heh-heh--a mistake." + +"The prediction should have been for fair and warmer!" Botts screamed. + +"But it's raining," Sloman pointed out. + +"We make mistakes," said Botts in a suddenly velvety voice. Then, as if +_that_ had been a mistake, bellowed: "But not this kind of mistake, +Sloman! Snow in July! We have a reputation to maintain! If not for +accuracy, at least for credulity." + +"Yes, sir," said Johnny Sloman. One of the troubles was, he had a +hangover. Although, actually, that was a consequence of the real +trouble. The real trouble was his fiancee. Make that his ex-fiancee. +Because last night Jo-Anne had left him. "You--you're just going no +place at all, Johnny Sloman," she had said. "You're on a treadmill +and--not even running very fast." She had given him back the +quarter-carat ring tearfully, but Johnny hadn't argued. Jo-Anne had a +stubborn streak and he knew when Jo-Anne's mind was made up. So Johnny +had gone and gotten drunk for the first time since the night after +college graduation, not too many years ago, and the result was a +nationally-distributed forecast of snow. + +Chief Botts' first flush of anger had now been replaced by self-pity. +His red, loose-jowled face was sagging and his eyes became watery as he +said, "At least you could have double-checked it. As a member of this +Bureau you only have to fill out the forecast once every ten days. Is +that so hard? Is there any reason why you should predict snow for July +25th?" His voice became silky soft as he added, "You realize, of course, +Sloman, that if this was anything but a civil service job you'd be out +on your ear for a stunt like this! Well, there are other ways. I can +pass over you for promotion. I _intend_ to pass over you until the +crack of doom. You'll be a GS-5 the rest of your working life. Are you +satisfied, Sloman? Snow in July ..." Chief Botts' voice trailed off, the +Chief following it. + +Johnny sat with his head in his hands until Harry Bettis, the GS-5 +weatherman who shared his small office with him, came in. Naturally, +hangover or no, Johnny had reported for work first. Johnny was always +first in the office, but it didn't seem to do any good. Now, Harry +Bettis could come in an hour late and read the funnies half the day and +flirt with the secretarial staff the other half and still be Chief +Botts' odds-on favorite for the promotion that was opening next month. +Harry Bettis was like that. + +He came in and gave Johnny the full treatment. First the slow spreading +smile. Then the chuckle. Then the loud, roaring belly-laugh. "Gals +outside told me!" he shouted, loud enough so the girls outside would +know he knew they had told him. "Snow! Snow in July! Sloman, you kill +me! You really do!" + +"Do you have to shout?" Johnny said. + +"Do I? We all ought to shout this. To the rooftops! Sloman, my foot. +You have a new name, sonny. Snowman! Johnny Snowman." + +[Illustration: Thick mud held him while terror ravened at his heels.] + +Johnny groaned. Instinctively, he knew the name would stick. + +"Hear you had a little trouble with the gal-friend this past p.m.," +Harry Bettis clucked in a voice which managed to be both derisive and +sympathetic. + +"How did you find out?" Johnny asked, but knew the answer at once. +Jo-Anne was a roommate of one of the Bureau Secretaries. It was how +Johnny had met her. + +"You know how I found out, Snowman. Well, that's tough luck, kiddo. But +tell me, does that mean the field is wide open? I always thought your +gal-friend--your _ex_-gal-friend--had the cutest pair of--" + +"I have nothing to do with whether the field is open or not open, I'm +afraid." + +"Well, don't be. Afraid, I mean," Harry Bettis advised jovially. "If the +gal could make you pull a boner like that, you're better off without +her. But I forgot to ask Maxine: can I have little Jo-Anne's phone +number? Huh, boy?" + +Before Johnny could answer, the three-girl staff of secretaries entered +the small office. Entered--and stared. + +"That's all right, girls," Harry Bettis said. "You didn't have to follow +me in here. I'd have been right out." + +But they weren't staring at Harry Bettis. They were staring at Johnny. +Their mouths had flapped open, their eyes were big and round. Johnny +didn't, but Harry Bettis knew that look on a girl's face. Without any +trouble at all, Johnny could have made any of those girls, right there, +right then, without even trying. + +They gawked and gawked. One of them pointed at the window. The others +tried to, but their hands were trembling. + +The one who was pointing squawked: "Look!" + +The second one said, "Out the window!" + +The third one said, "Will you!" + +Outside the window on the twenty-fifth of July it was snowing. + + * * * * * + +It was an hour later. Telephones were ringing. Long-distance calls from +all over the country now that the ticker had gone out with the +incredible fact that it was snowing in the Northeast in July. Most of +the calls, though, were from Washington. Chief Botts disconnected the +PBX and walked in a dazed, staggering fashion to Johnny, smiling weakly +and saying: + +"Sloman, I misjudged you. Genius, right here, right now, in this office, +and we never knew it. Sloman, I have to admit I was wrong about you. But +how did you know? How did you ever know?" + +"Hell's bells," Harry Bettis said before Johnny could say it was all a +mistake. "That's easy, Chief. Anyone knows that _all_ rain starts out as +snow. It's got to. You see, the droplets of moisture in the cold upper +regions of a cloud condense around dust particles because the air up +there is too cold to hold them as vapor. Since it's below freezing, snow +is formed--snow which warms up as it passes through hotter air en route +to the ground, and--" + +"That will be quite enough, Bettis," Chief Botts said. "I am a +weatherman too, you know. You don't have to tell me the most elementary +of--" + +"In this case, Chief," Bettis persisted, "the biggest inversion layer +you ever saw kept the surface air down and brought the cold upper air +very close to the surface. Result: the snowflakes didn't have a chance +to melt, not even to freezing rain. Result: snow!" + +"The chances of that happening," said Chief Botts coldly, "are about one +in a billion. Aren't they, Sloman, dear fellow?" + +"One in two billion," Johnny said. + +"He _is_ modest," Chief Botts told the staff. "He seems so unconcerned." + +Just then Maxine came into the little office. The look of awe on her +face had been replaced by one of sheer amazement. "Well, I checked it, +Chief," she said. "Wait until I tell Jo-Anne!" + +"Won't you please tell us first?" Chief Botts asked. + +"Yes, sir," said Maxine, and read from the memo pad in her hand. "Since +coming to work for the Bureau, Johnny Sloman has once every ten days +made our official forecast. I have checked back on his forecast, Chief, +as you directed. Johnny has made fifty-five forecasts. While only one of +them--startlingly--has called for snow in July--every single one of them +has been right." + +There was a shocked silence. "But--but the Weather Bureau average is +only eighty-eight percent!" Harry Bettis gasped. + +"You mean," Chief Botts corrected him, "eighty-eight percent is the +figure we try to foist on the unsuspecting public. Actually, the Weather +Bureau averages a bare seventy-five percent, and you know it." + +"But Sloman's got a hundred percent accuracy--up to and including snow +in July," Harry Bettis said in a shocked voice. + +"It was only an accident," Johnny said in a mild voice. "I didn't mean +to write snow." + +"Accident, smaccident," said Harry Bettis. "It was no accident with a +record like that. You have the uncanny ability to forecast weather with +complete accuracy, Johnny-boy. You realize what that means, old pal?" + +"I'd better call Washington and tell them," Chief Botts said, but Harry +Bettis held his arm while Johnny mused: + +"I guess I realize what it means, Harry. That is, if you're right. No +more getting wet on picnics. Because I'd know. I'd know, Harry. No more +going to ball games and having them rained out on you. No more being +caught by a thunderstorm at the beach ..." + +"Johnny!" Harry Bettis said. "Think, pal. Think!" + +"I'm calling Washington," Chief Botts said. "This is too much for me." + +But Harry Bettis was still holding his arm. "Now, just a minute, bucko," +he said. "You're not calling anyone--not without his manager's +permission." + +"Whose manager's permission?" + +"Why, Mr. Sloman's manager's permission, of course. In a word, me." + +"This is preposterous!" Chief Botts cried. + +"Is it?" Bettis asked. "Listen, Johnny, don't let anyone sell you a bill +of goods--like the Civil Service Commission giving you a GS-8 rating and +sending you to Washington. Because stick with me, kid, and there'll be +great things in store for you, you'll see." + +"Such," said Maxine dubiously, "as what?" + +"Are you on our side?" Harry Bettis asked her suspiciously. + +"I'm on Jo-Anne's side. If old Johnny here has something she ought to +have, I want to know it." + + * * * * * + +"You mean, if she ought to change her mind and marry him? I'll admit it +even if I think Jo-Anne's a real cute trick: she'd be nuts if she +didn't." Women, Harry Bettis did not add, never came between Harry +Bettis and ten percent of a gold mine. But that's what he was thinking. +He went on: "Just think of it, Johnny. Drought in the Midwest. They call +Sloman. Sloman predicts rain. It rains. Have any idea what they'd pay +for a stunt like that? Or swollen rivers in New England, or California. +Looks like another big flood is on the way, but they call Sloman. Looks +like rain, kiddo? That don't matter. Predict a dry spell and it won't +rain. Do you know," Harry Bettis said in a devout whisper, "what a stunt +like that would be worth? Millions." + +"Yeah, wise guy," said Maxine. "So what's in it for you?" + +Harry Bettis did not look at Maxine when he answered. He looked at +Johnny and said, "I'll be frank, kiddo. You have the talent, but you +don't have the salesmanship to promote it. Do you want a mediocre job +while the weather boys exploit you for the rest of your life or--do you +want greatness, riches, and Jo-Anne?" + +"Jo-Anne," Johnny said. + +Harry Bettis nodded. "My price is twenty-five percent." + +"Of Jo-Anne?" Maxine asked suspiciously. + +"Of everything Johnny makes as the world's first _real_ Weather Man. Not +a forecaster--a commander. Because when my client forecasts the weather, +it happens. Brothers and sisters, it happens." He turned abruptly to +Johnny, said, "You have any money saved up?" + +"A few hundred dollars, but--" + +"An ad in the papers. Alongside the article telling how it snowed on +July twenty-fifth. Saying that your services are for hire. We're a +shoo-in, kid!" + +"Well, if you say so," Johnny said doubtfully. + +"So don't call D.C.," Bettis told Chief Botts. + +"But Sloman's an employee of this Bureau." + +"Was, you mean." + +"What did you say?" + +"Was an employee. He ain't an employee now. He's quitting--with his +manager," said Harry Bettis, and walked out of the office, steering a +dazed Johnny Sloman with him. + +"Wait until I call Jo-Anne," Maxine said. + +During the next six months, Johnny Sloman--known to the world as The +Weather Man--made fifty million dollars. Since it had taken a whole +lifetime for him to develop his remarkable talent, his lawyers were +trying to have capital gains declared on the earnings rather than +straight income tax. The odds seemed to be in their favor. + +How had Johnny made his fifty million dollars? By predicting the +weather. He predicted: + +A flood in the Texas panhandle--in time to save the dry lands from going +entirely arid. + +An end of the snowstorms in northern Canada--which had trapped the five +hundred residents of a small uranium-mining town without food or +adequate drinking water. + +The break-up of Hurricane Anita--which had threatened to be the most +destructive ever to strike the Carolina Coast. + +No frost for Florida that winter--a prediction still to be ascertained, +but a foregone conclusion. + +Every prediction had come true. In time, the world began to realize that +his predictions were not predictions at all: they were sure things. That +is, they predicted nothing--they _made_ things happen. Johnny was in +demand everywhere and naturally could not fill all engagements. Harry +Bettis hired a whole squad of corresponding secretaries, whose job it +was to turn down, with regret, some ninety percent of the jobs +requested. Johnny, in fact, was in such demand, that his engagement to +Jo-Anne--which, of course, had been reinstated at her insistence--remained +only an engagement. The nuptials were put off, and put off again. + +This suited Harry Bettis, who saw to it that Johnny kept putting off the +marriage. Because, ultimately, Jo-Anne would reach the end of her +proverbial tether and decide that Harry's twenty-five percent, if it +could be shared as a wife, was better than Johnny's seventy-five +percent, if it could not. + +Jo-Anne, though, was not that kind of girl. Harry Bettis, knowing no +other kind of girl, never understood that. + +The scientists, meanwhile, had a field day with Johnny. His strange +talent obeyed no natural law, they said, and at first attributed it to +random chance. Soon, though, this became patently impossible. And so a +new natural law was sought. All types of hair-brained theories were +proposed, none of them accepted, until an osteopathic physician in +Duluth, Minn., hit upon the theory that staggered the world with its +simplicity and, eventually, was accepted as that which explained the +strange phenomenon of Johnny Sloman. + +The osteopath, many of whose patients suffered from rheumatism which was +aggravated by the bitter Minnesota winters, suggested that Johnny Sloman +was a case of rheumatism in reverse. The weather, he pointed out, had an +adverse effect upon the symptoms of his patients. Conversely, why +couldn't some human being--a Johnny Sloman, for example--affect the +weather in precisely the same way that the weather invariably affected +his rheumatic patients? + +It was clear, simple, lucid. It was the only theory which could not be +disproven by the weight of scientific knowledge. It thus became the +accepted theory. + + * * * * * + +"The Under-Secretary of Defense to see you," Maxine said one day during +the winter following Johnny's July snowfall. + +"Don't see him," Harry Bettis said. "You don't want to see him." + +"But why not?" Johnny asked. + +"Because they'll make you a dollar-a-year man and we're not in this to +make any stinking dollar a year," Harry Bettis said. + +"Well, I think I ought to see him, anyway. At least see him." He turned +to Jo-Anne, who was sitting at the next desk, writing up some reports. +"What do you think, Jo?" + +"If the country needs you, Johnny," she said, "it's your duty to help." + +Johnny told Maxine, "Show the Under-Secretary in, please." + +He was a small man with a big brief case. He spoke slowly, earnestly, +backing up his statements with reams of paper from the brief case. The +Defense Department had not contacted Johnny right away, he said, because +they wanted to compile all the facts. They had all the facts now. + +Johnny Sloman could be the biggest single factor for peace the world had +ever known. + +Item. In the event of aggression, he could so bog down the aggressor's +supply lines and troop movements with continuous rains and snowstorms +that it would be all but impossible for the aggressor to maintain +hostilities. + +Item. In the event that such tactical weather-war failed, he could cause +a drought in the aggressor's food-producing regions, forcing the +aggressor to surrender or face starvation. + +Item. He could always, conversely, see to it that the defensive force's +supply lines were never hampered by the weather and that the +precipitation over the defensive country's breadbasket was ideal. + +Item. He could render aggressor communication difficult with heavy fog +and/or icy roads. + +Item. He could cover defensive troop movements with low, dense clouds. + +In short, concluded the Under-Secretary, Johnny Sloman could be a +one-man world police-force practically guaranteeing peace. He stopped +talking. He looked at Johnny. His eyes said, the call of duty is clear. + +Harry Bettis said, "Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Secretary. +Naturally, we'll think about what you said." + +"Think about it!" gasped the Under-Secretary. "Think about it!" + +"My client is a busy man--the busiest man in his field," Harry Bettis +said. + +The Under-Secretary smiled bleakly. "The only man in his field, you +mean. That's why we need him." + +"We'll send you a report in a few weeks," Harry said indifferently, +"after we've had an opportunity to study the situation." + +"But, Harry--" Johnny began. + +"Johnny," Harry said. He did not have to finish the statement. It had +happened before--"Johnny, I've made you a tremendous success. I'm your +manager, aren't I? Let's leave it that way." + +"If Johnny thinks he ought to help--" Jo-Anne said. + +"Now, Jo-Anne," Harry Bettis scolded, and led the Under-Secretary to the +door. + + * * * * * + +Three days later, the assistant chief of the F.B.I. came to see them. +"We regret this, Sloman," he said. + +"You regret what?" Harry Bettis asked. + +"Defense allowed a report on its findings out. That was unwise. We'll +have to give you around-the-clock protection, Sloman." + +"Protection from what?" Johnny wanted to know. + +"Enemy agents. The enemy is desperate. At all costs, according to their +intelligence reports, they're out to get you." + +"Get him?" said Harry Bettis. "You mean, kill him?" + +"I mean, get him. Get him on their side. Because everything Johnny could +do for the forces of peace and democracy, he could be made to do for +the forces of aggression. You see?" + +"Yes," said Johnny. + +"No," said Harry Bettis. "This sounds like a government trick--to make +Johnny go to work. To make him think it's his patriotic duty--" + +"Well," said Jo-Anne sharply, "isn't it?" + +Harry Bettis smiled. "When he gets as big as Universal Motors, he can +become patriotic." + +"Mr. Sloman," the assistant F.B.I. chief said, "they will either try to +kidnap you outright, or work on you through someone you love. Therefore, +our bodyguards--" + +"Well, let them keep their distance, that's all," Bettis said. "Bad for +business. Nobody wants enemy agents hanging around." + +"That's your final decision?" the F.B.I. man asked. + +"Well--" began Johnny. + +"Yes, it's our final decision," said Harry Bettis, showing the F.B.I. +man to the door. + +"I don't think you should have done that," Johnny said after he had +gone. + +"You just make the weather, Johnny-boy. I'll take care of business." + +"Well--" said Johnny. + +"Johnny!" cried Jo-Anne. "Oh, Johnny! Why don't you act like a man?" And +she ran from the room, slamming the door. + +After that, Johnny didn't see her again. + +She was gone. + +Really gone, for certain, not simply walking off in a huff. + +Two weeks later, Johnny got the letter--unofficial--from the Enemy. + + * * * * * + +The F.B.I. was sympathetic, but the Chief said, "You can understand, Mr. +Sloman, how our hands are tied. It is not an official letter. We can't +prove anything. We don't doubt it for a minute, of course. The cold war +enemy has kidnapped your fiancee and taken her to their motherland. +But--we can't prove it. Not being able to prove it, we can't do a thing +about it. You're aware, of course, of how readily the rest of the world +condemns our actions. Not that they wouldn't be on our side if we could +prove that this kidnap letter was the real thing, but you realize we +won't be able to prove it at all." + +"Oh," said Johnny. He went home. He saw Harry Bettis, who said he was +shocked. The note read: + + Mr. Johnny Sloman: + + We have Miss Jo-Anne Davis here in the motherland. The only way she + can live a normal life here is if you join her and work for us. We + believe you know what the other kind of life is like here. + +Bettis said, "It stumps the hell out of me, Johnny." + +"I'm just waking up," said Johnny slowly. "In a way, it's your fault." + +"Now, don't be a jackass, Johnny." + +Jackass or no, Johnny hit him. His knuckles went crunch and Harry +Bettis' nose went crunch and Bettis fell down. He lay there, his nose +not looking so good. + +Now, when it was apparently too late, Johnny knew what his course of +action should have been. Get rid of the money-grubbing Bettis. Go to +work for the government unselfishly. Insure world peace. + +Too late ... too late ... + +Because unless he could somehow save Jo-Anne, he would never predict the +weather again--for anyone. + + * * * * * + +"But what you ask is impossible!" the Secretary of Defense said a few +days later. + +"If I come back, if I'm successful," Johnny said quietly, "I'm your +man, for as long as you want me, without pay." + +"You mean that?" the Secretary asked slowly. + +"I mean it." + +The Secretary nodded grimly, touched a button on his desk. "Get me Air +Force Chief of Staff Burns," he said, and, a moment later: "Bernie? +Chuck here. We need a plane. A jet-transport to go you-know-where. +Cargo? One man, in a parachute. Can you manage it? Immediately, if not +sooner. Good boy, Bernie. No ... no, I'm sorry, I can't tell you a thing +about it." The Secretary cut the connection, turned to Johnny: + +"You leave this afternoon, Sloman. You realize, of course, there isn't a +thing we can do to get you out. Not a thing." + +"Yes," said Johnny. + +"You're a very brave man, or very much in love." + +Hours later, the jet transport took off with Johnny in it. + +He came down near what had been the border of the motherland and Poland. +He began to walk. A farmer and his son spotted the parachute, came after +him. The son was a Red Army man on leave. The son had a gun. He fired +prematurely, and Johnny ran. It was hopeless, he decided. He would +never make it. He would never even reach the capital alive, where they +were holding Jo-Anne. + +He ran. + +He wished for rain. A blinding rainstorm. The clouds scudded in. The +rain fell in buckets. The farmer and his son soon lost sight of Johnny. + +Just to make sure, Johnny ran and let it go on raining. + + * * * * * + +"Floods in their motherland," the Secretary of Defense told the +President. "Naturally, their news broadcasts are trying to keep the +reports to a minimum, but these are the biggest floods we've ever heard +of over there." + +"Our man is there?" the President asked. + +"He was dropped by parachute, sir!" + + * * * * * + +It was snowing when Johnny reached the capital. He had been parachuted +into the enemy's motherland, naturally, because propinquity alone +assured the success of his strange talent. + +He was tired. His feet ached. He'd been the only one heading for the +capital. Hundreds of thousands had been fleeing from the floods ... + +"There he is!" a voice cried in the enemy language. He didn't understand +the language, but he understood the tone. His picture had been flashed +across the length and breadth of the motherland. He had been spotted. + +He ran. Down an alley, across a muddy yard, floundering to his knees, +then his thighs, in thick mud. They came floundering in pursuit. They +fired a warning volley of shots. He stumbled and fell face down in the +black, stinking mud. + +They took him ... + + * * * * * + +Dark room. One light, on his face. A voice: "We can kill you." + +"Kill me," he said. "My last wish will be for rain. Rain, forever." + +"We can torture you." + +"And I will say, before you start, let it rain and go on raining. Let me +be powerless to prevent it. Rain!" + +"We can kill the girl." + +"Your country will float away." + +A fist came at him out of the darkness. Hit him. It was tentative +torture. He sobbed and thought: rain, harder. Rain, rain, rain ... + +Water seeped into the dungeon. This had never happened before. The fist +went away. + +Outside it rained and rained. + + * * * * * + +"What does he want, comrade?" + +"We don't know, comrade." + +"Give it to him--whatever it is. He has disrupted our entire economy. We +face economic disaster unless he--and his rain--leave us in peace." + +"Perhaps that is what he wants. Peace." + +"You fool! We are supposed to want peace. Shut up!" + +"Yes, sir. Comrade." + +"Better ask the party secretary." + +"Yes, comrade." + +The party secretary was asked. The party secretary sighed and nodded. + +Johnny saw the light of day. And Jo-Anne. + + * * * * * + +A month later, the Secretary of Defense told him. "Thanks to you, they +agreed to a German settlement, stopped sending arms to their Red ally in +Asia, withdrew their promise of aid to the Arab fanatics, and have +freed all foreigners held in their motherland illegally." + +Johnny listened, smiling at Jo-Anne. They had been married two weeks. +Naturally, the enemy had been only too glad to see them leave. + +"Just stay available, Sloman," the President beamed from alongside the +Secretary of Defense. "As long as they know we can always send you over +there again, they'll never try anything. Right?" + +"Yes, sir," said Johnny. + +They called him the Weather Man. They went on calling him the Weather +Man, although he retired more or less--except during cases of dire +emergency. + +The world called him that, the Weather Man. And, because he had retired +to enjoy life with his new wife, they began to suspect, as could be +expected, that he had been a fraud. + +But the enemy did not think so. Ever again. + +And that was enough for Johnny. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ October 1956. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Summer Snow Storm, by Adam Chase + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUMMER SNOW STORM *** + +***** This file should be named 26968.txt or 26968.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/9/6/26968/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/26968.zip b/26968.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..438c63b --- /dev/null +++ b/26968.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..238b7ce --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #26968 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26968) |
