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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. 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