Argosy: The Short Story Magazine — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 MICHAEL GILBERT broke through. But it wasn’t a nice smile. ‘‘ Mind over matter,”’ he said. “‘ Remember? I suppose it never even occurred to you that Trude was a Russian stooge.” I swallowed hard, and said, ‘‘ What makes you think that? ” “It was pretty obvious, wasn’t it? Her opportune appearance the day after we arrived. ‘The way she made a dead set at me.” ““Go on,” I said weakly. “That’s the sort of thing you were expected to guard me against, you know. I didn’t expect to have to do all the work myself. However, Frau Hodinger was a help. She’s got influence, that woman. Her brother’s in the Security Police.” ‘““T see,” I said. It was beginning to sink in. “IT thought I’d lead Trude up the garden path a bit. It was quite safe. There were squads of police on duty. Some of the other side too, I think. I understand there was a carload of thugs waiting down the street for Trude to give the sign that I was ripe for the picking.” “T saw them,”’ I said. “The only trouble was that when the police spotted you pussy- footing off round the back of the hotel, they jumped to the con- clusion that you were a member of the opposition. And laid you out. Of course, I put them right, and they brought you home.” “It was you climbing out of the window? ” ~“'That’s right. Id got an urgent date.”’ “Who with?” I asked. But I knew. “Frau Hodinger,” said Al. ‘‘ Give me a woman of experience every time.” ‘The train dived into a tunnel and saved me the necessity of answering. I reported to Captain Forestier when I got back. He seemed amused. ‘I hope you were tactful,’ he said. ‘‘ That’s the great thing in these assignments. ‘Tact.’ ‘“‘T think I behaved as a gentleman should,’ I said stiffly. “You’ve brought him back safe and sound, anyway. I only hope he gives you a good chitty to Colonel Bles.”’ As a matter of fact, Alex was talking to Colonel Bles about me at that very moment. I only discovered this, of course, long afterwards. ‘The Colonel has a long face, looks like a bank manager, and is about the most ruthless man I have ever had anything to do with—and I’ve known some in my time. ‘“‘T’m sorry,” he was saying, “‘ we always thought him a sound operator. Not much imagination, but reliable.” ““T did wonder,” said Alex. “I mean, what exactly your opinion of him was. All that business about not giving him any warning that he was coming with me. Was that because you couldn’t trust him not to blab?” comiclooks.comn)