American Science Fiction #41 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

® missing persons,” | lied with. gusto. “When the University hired me to . locate MacRoberts, | interviewed the man’s friends, talked with the Jn- dians, etc. And behold here I am.’ ‘I grinned broadly with ‘affected boastfulness. Chetzisky eyed me in- tently. I felt grateful for my mask of beard at that moment. “You came alone?” he asked, re? lieving me of the automatic in my belt. 1 nodded. The Doctor put down his rifle. “I’m sorry to appear threatening. But |! have reasons. Will you come into my cabin?” ; E ushered me in front of him into a low-ceilinged house of fir logs.. The.room we entered was furn- ished with home-made chairs and a table.on which a lantern burned with a. low wick. .In the far corner was a door leading . to another room. “My name’s Roy Carlson,” I said amiably as we sat down at the table, Cheizisky at one side alone, the ri- fle across his knees. “Pm... Doctor Hansen, nenlounk” volunteered Chetznisky, bowing slight- ly,-and after a pause, “an associate of Doctor MacRoberts.” “Then where is he?” 1 ‘demanded, seeking to. keep the Doctor on the defensive. “In the next room; he’s very ill.” “What's the trouble?” - “Radiation sickness. A very bad ease. Very painful. I have to keep him under drugs constantly.” “Why didn’t you. let his friends know?” My voice was angry and my ani was genuine. You-see, Mr. Carlson, we are out of the world here. We have no tele- graphic station just around the cor- ner.” ‘He'smiled an irritating, sarcas- tie smile. e My blood boiled. I wanted to jump him then and there, but his fingers were caressing the trigger of the fi- fie: ‘“How did it happen?” — “Doctor MacRoberts and I were fracing a yadioactive deposit. With- out the necessary precautions he handled the ore for long periods of STOPWATCH, ,..ON a my ant THE . WORLD. time. Fearfully careless.” Chetzishy -shook his head with the “tsk-tsk” air of a Chemistry teacher deprecating the clumsiness of a freshman student | in the lab. My brain tried to formulate a plan of action. But there should be two Indians. Where the devil was the other? I had to know before I went into action. My’ head turned sharply Several into shrill “4 cries groans mounting May ft came from the other room. see him?” I asked, rising. “You may. Go right in, Mr. Cark- son.’ I went in. The air was foul from vomit. On a cot lay a twitching form, whose features became suddenly vis- 2 ible in. the rays of the lantern Chet- zisky held up behind’ me. 1 gasped. The face was puffed into fiery welts. and the eyes, sunken deep in their sockets, glowed fiercely in a savage _ agony. “The poor devil,” I exclaimed, “it | would almost be better to shoot him. i Chetzisky was shocked. “For. dog, yes. But for a man, Mr. Carl son, that is murder.” | é What a sardanic jest. The man. who planned to wipe out two bil-_ ‘lion people rebuking an unintended | 1 was suggestion of mercy killing. so choked with anger. that. I ‘could , barely answer. “Just a figure of. speech, Doctor.”. pr Outside in the other room a door | slammed. Someone rushed in shout- . ing, “Soldiers, soldiers dropping from the skies.” It was the other Indian. : HETZISKY kept his rifle aim- ed at my belly as the Indian pour- ed ‘out the details. “Lwo planes had ' dropped paratroopers just oviside the crater. outside and watch and tell him when the soldiers got inside the crater.’ ‘He told the Indian to go back — “So you are looking for Professor | MacRoberts, a private investigator,” Chetzisky. chuckled softly. . something familiar about -you; I should have paid more attention to suspicions in the beginning. Komicbooks com fees ea! A siacee Pee “There is os i %