Black Wind Blowing

Introduction

Howard’s second and final appearance in Thrilling Mystery was in the June 1936 issue. The story was “Black Wind Blowing” a mystery adventure. It was sold to Street & Smith for $40.00 by Binder circa April 1936.

“Black Wind Blowing” is a suspenseful narrative set in the rural landscapes, featuring Emmett Glanton, who finds himself entangled in a horrifying night filled with madness and mysticism. This tale unfolds with an unexpected encounter and spirals into a dark adventure where natural elements and human emotions intermingle with sinister plots.

From the letters:

In a letter (#345) to E. Hoffmann Price we learn:

Dear Ed:

Glad you-all liked “She-Devil”. Glad, too, to hear of your continued sales record, and that the new boat is performing according to anticipations.
I’m in better shape financially than I was when you saw me last, in spite of my heavy expenses. Weird Tales has been paying regularly lately, another sale to Thrilling Mystery helped, and I’ve cracked two more S&S magazines — Cowboy Stories — with a humorous-western of the B. Elkins type; and Complete Stories, with a 24,000 word Oriental adventure novelet.

Price and his wife visited Howard in October 1935. The sale Howard refers to here is Black Wind Blowing. The Elkins tale is “A Man-Eating Jeopard” and the Oriental adventure novelet is 5. “Sons of the Hawk,” published as “The Country of the Knife,” August 1936.

Summary

The story begins on a stormy night with Emmett Glanton driving his Model T when he is suddenly forced to halt by Joshua, a mentally unstable worker, exhibiting unusual and threatening behavior. Joshua warns Glanton not to proceed to their neighbor, John Bruckman’s house, despite having been called over urgently. Ignoring the warning, Glanton heads to Bruckman’s house, where he finds himself part of an impromptu and suspicious marriage arranged by Bruckman between him and his niece, Joan Zukor, seemingly to protect himself from an ominous pact he had with a cult known as the Black Brothers of Ahriman.

The narrative quickly escalates as Joshua’s violent tendencies are revealed, and he confesses to murdering his own brother. Glanton, now married, leaves Bruckman’s house but soon learns that Bruckman has been gruesomely tortured and killed by the cult for betraying their secrets. The cult’s plan to sacrifice Joan as part of their dark rituals unfolds, forcing Glanton into a desperate rescue.

Glanton returns to his ranch to find his worker, Sanchez, murdered and his new wife, Joan, kidnapped. Following clues, he confronts the cult members in a climactic showdown, where Joshua, despite being fatally wounded, aids Glanton unintentionally by attacking the cultists, resulting in their deaths from an electrified ritual site.

The story ends with the dawn breaking, symbolizing a new beginning for Glanton and Joan, who have survived the horrors of the night and are now bonded by their shared ordeal.

Characters

  • Emmett Glanton: The protagonist, a rancher who finds himself fighting against dark forces.
  • Joshua: A mentally challenged and physically imposing worker, his violent outburst catalyzes the night’s events. (Last name not provided in the story.)
  • John Bruckman: Glanton’s neighbor, involved with dark cults, uses Glanton in an attempt to escape his fate.
  • Joan Zukor: Bruckman’s niece, unwittingly placed in danger by her uncle, becomes Glanton’s wife through a forced arrangement.
  • Lem Richards: The justice of the peace, unwittingly involved in the forced marriage. (Full name provided.)
  • Juan Sanchez: Glanton’s worker, ultimately a victim of the cult’s violence. (First name not provided in the story.)
  • The Black Brothers of Ahriman: Cult members who perform dark rituals and seek to enforce their sinister pacts through sacrifice and murder. (Not individualized with full names.)

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