Argosy (UK), January 1955 — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

eee a ae j eK “2 Co om Pt pet na, tm Bw ROBERT SHECKLEY had reached them all by altering his tactics to meet the situation. Once he had dressed as a milkman, another time as a bill. 3 : collector. The sixth Victim he had had to chase through the = __ Sierra Nevadas. The man had clipped him, too. But Frelaine had done better. a | How could he be proud of this one? What would the Tens — Club say? aos : 3 That Escaaht Frelaine up with a start. He wanted to get into the club. Even if he passed over this girl he would have to defend himself against a Hunter. If he survived, he would still be four hunts away from membership. At that rate, he might never get in. xs He began to pass the café again; then, on impulse, stopped abruptly. ‘ Hullo,” he said. es E* Janet Patzig looked at him out of sad blue eyes, but said nothing. “ Say, look,” he said, sitting down, “if I’m being fresh, just tell me and [ll go. I’m an out-of-towner. Here on a convention. And I’d just like someone feminine to talk to. If you’d rather I didn’t—”’ “T don’t care,”’ Janet Patzig said tonelessly. “A brandy,” Frelaine told the waiter. Janet Patzig’s glass was still half full. Frelaine looked at the girl and he could feel his heart throbbing against his ribs. ‘This was more like it—having a drink with your Victim! ‘““My name’s Stanton Frelaine,” he said, knowing it didn’t matter. | cc Janet.” “ Janet what? ” “* Janet Patzig.” “ Nice to know you,” Frelaine said, in a perfectly natural voice. “ Are you doing anything tonight, Janet?” “I’m probably being killed tonight,” she said quietly. Frelaine looked at her carefully. Did she realize who he was? For all he knew, she had a gun levelled at him under the table. He kept his hand close to the fling-out button. “ Are you a Victim?” he asked. “You guessed it,’”’ she said sardonically. ‘“ If I were you I’d stay out of the way. No sense getting hit by mistake.” Frelaine couldn’t understand the girl’s calm. Was she a suicide? Perhaps she just didn’t care. Perhaps she wanted to die. = “ Haven’t you got any spotters?” he asked, with the right = ee er eae vA ‘ expression of amazement. comicloooks. Comp