Lightning Wolves by David Lee Summers

Author:David Lee Summers [Summers, David Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Steampunk
Publisher: Sky Warrior Book Publishing, LLC
Published: 2014-07-02T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Bliss

Curly Bill Brocious watched the interchange between Old Man Clanton and Richard Gird over supper with interest. Clanton told about his dreams of building a town on the San Pedro River. “You could use the water to run a mill for processing ore and we could use the water for cattle.”

Gird frowned and shook his head. “The San Pedro isn’t exactly a torrential river, I’m not sure there’s enough for both.”

“From what I’ve seen, that mining machine of yours does a lot of the ore processing for you, doesn’t it?” asked Phin Clanton.

The attorney nodded. “That’s right. It doesn’t use as much water as a mill would use.”

Old Man Clanton pursed his lips and glared at his oldest son. With a force of will, he smiled. “Of course, we have hopes that the mining machine could be put to other purposes—at least part of the time.”

“And what other purposes would that be?” Gird popped a chunk of steak in his mouth.

“The way your machine burrows into rock, I’m betting it would stand up real well under attack. It would be a big help in keeping Apaches away from this part of the territory,” said Clanton.

Gird nodded. “True. Apaches couldn’t get into the machine unless we wanted them to, but the Javelina isn’t a weapon, not unless you plan to drive into them and grind them into pulp.”

“Oh, we can fix that.” The corner of Ike Clanton’s mouth ticked upward a couple of times as though he laughed silently. “We just attach Corporal Brocius’s lightning gun to your little piggy wagon and nothing would stand in its way!”

Gird sat back and folded his arms. “Lightning gun?”

“I’d be pleased to show you after supper,” said Curly Bill.

Gird wiped his lips with a napkin and glanced down at the empty plate. “That was a mighty good steak, Mr. Clanton.” He looked up at Curly Bill with almost as much hunger as he’d shown toward his meal. “I’d be interested in taking a look, right now.”

Brocious smiled and stood. “Right this way.” The two men walked to the back porch where Curly Bill had left the lightning gun. The Clantons continued their supper, confident Gird would be impressed.

Gird knelt down and examined the device, then opened a hatch on the side. “Interesting. A battery-powered electrical transformer hooked up to an array of spinning magnets. This thing would build up a hell of a charge. I wonder who built it.”

“One of our best scientists,” said Curly Bill. “I’m impressed that you understand it so well. Ammunition is a little hard to come by, of course.”

Amusement flicked over Gird’s face. He stood and looked Curly Bill in the eye. “You’re not in the army, are you Mr. Brocius?”

“Whatever makes you think that?” Curly Bill folded his arms.

“If you were in the army, you wouldn’t be after the Javelina to use it in combat, you’d want the plans so you could build your own.” He put his arms behind his back. “Also, if you were really familiar with this gun, you’d know it doesn’t need ammunition—at least in a traditional sense.

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