Seeing it Through

 

cover art by A.L. Ripley

Read/Watch 'em In Order #177

The second work of prose fiction (I'll be skipping a few poems in the issue) in the January 10, 1926 issue of Adventure is the short story "Seeing it Through," by Jack Rendal. Rendel was a fairly regular contributer to Adventure from 1926-1928 (7 articles and 4 short stories), but I can't find any credits for him after that. That's too bad, because this story, at least, is excellent.

A tuberculosis-ridden man named Markham has raised his two sons atop a mesa in the Colorado desert, raising date trees he imported from Africa. Between this and selling an occasional painting done by Markham, they manage to eek out a living. Water for the date trees is brought in from a nearby spring a pipe.

There was once a mother in the picture, but she gave up on their desolute and hard life years ago. The boys (Hugh, age 19 and Hale, age 16) still have hopes of one day having enough money to find her.

This is a short story, so its remarkable how quickly and without effort Rendel establishes the near-barren desert setting and the strong personality of Hale, the younger brother through whose eyes we experience the tale. With very few words, Rendel tells us all we need to know and established the story's desolute atmosphere. It's good writing that draws you into the tale.

Anyway, an obviously corrupt lawman steps into the picture and soon the water supply to the mesa is cut off. After that, Hugh gives the lawman reason to want revenge and Hale finds himself in a position to either betray his brother to save himself or save Hugh and possibly get himself killed.

It's a good story, which you can read HERE. The next story we come to will be one of Harold Lamb's "Khlit the Cossack" tales. And when you start to read a Khlit story, the only appropriate thought going through your head should be: "This is going to be awesome!"