American Science Fiction #41 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 : STOPWATCH ON NODDED that I understood and rubbed my day old stubble thought- ‘fully. “And yes, don’t *bother shaving. A bit of a beard might be as good’a disguise as any if you meet Chet- zisky. He may still remember you.” “By the way, Jim, how did you manage to get government support for your idea?” “IT didn’t.” “You didn’t,” I said slowly, “Then how—” “'m using my assignment to track down the leakage of our troop move- ments to the Orient as the apparent ‘reason for my manoeuvres. What “more likely than such a spy ring should have its headquarters on the Pacific Coast and perhaps a trans- mitter deep in the mountains.” He grinned like a pleased cat. “You mean none of the Canadian authorities knows you're really after Chetzisky!” The man’s gall flabber- gasted me. “That’s right.” The bell-hop knocked on the door and entered with our drinks. I gulped mine down and sagged back in a chair, hoping for my brain to clear and ‘find all. this was happen- ing only in a nightmare, the result of overindulging in my favourite onion soup. But it wasn’t just a bad dream. . +. above all you must creep up orf Chetzisky,” I heard Armstrong say- ing. “Seven days doesn’t leave much time for creeping.” “I know.” Armstrong was grim. “But the Indian should help.” “What Indian?” I exclaimed. The nightmare feeling deepened. “I forgot, Arnold. When Chetzis- ky and MacRoberts disappeared into the wilds, they took two Indians along that had been with Mac- Roberts on previous trips. Fortunately there was a third Indian, a young boy, who went out once before with MacRoberts. We're counting on him to _ Buide you to wherever the Doctor a I mulled over that’ while ~ Arm- Strong got on the phone and eo THE WORLD booked us on the next flight fo the coast. Fifteen hours we were in Van- couver conferring with Major Bur- ley of Canadian Military Intelli- gence, a precisely neat man who made me painfully self-conscious of. my unshaven face. I met Johnny Eagle for the first time. He bore little resemblance to the lithe, stern- eyed Red man of the movies. A dumpy boy of fifteen, dressed in baggy pants and a pullover, he es- caped the classification of nonde- script only by his eyes; they shone with a quiet luminosity, like lights through a mist. They gave me a feel- ing of confidence in him, According to Johnny Eagle, place we wanted was north of Burns Lake. He didn’t know the exact spot, but he remembered two things nearby; a frain-rotted cross on a mountain grave and two peaks that MacRoberts had _ christened the ~ Twins because of their ssabeacce pee J pearance. “ It wasn’t much to’ go on, but. it was something to keep alive our hopes of getting Chetzisky before it was too late. “Good luck,” Major Burley said, op hope it won ’t be a wild goose chase.” | | “It better not be,” “Armstrong said tersely. “You better get going, Arnold. Vll keep in touch with you by radio from Burns Lake.” f UTSIDE the Major’s office I al- most collided with a code clerk ‘hurrying in witha message. I thought nothing of it till I was on the street climbing into the car that would take me to the airport and a voice called sharply after me. “Sir, Major Burley wishes to see you in his office right away.” I went back upstairs, cold with foreboding,; suddenly recalling the excited look on the code clerk’s face. Armstrong was standing by the window, looking disconsolate, when I entered. The Canadian said noth- ing, but handed me a decoded mes- sage. COMIC DOOKS.COL