Astounding Science Fiction, February 1952 (British Edition) — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

36 Men were highly skilled in the making of vehicles which propelled themselves. They also had flying machines and a form of communication over great distances. The agitators, as the Chief calls them, claim that we could have such things again if everyone learned to read the old books. That may be so. However, I don’t feel that it’s any of my business. When my father died he gave me two great things. One was the gun, which he had received from his father, and which he told me would insure my independence so long as I used it only as a last resort, and carefully hoarded the thirty-three bullets remaining. I have used the gun four times in six years, and have twenty-nine bullets left. Jt marks me as a man apart, a man who carries potential death. The other thing he gave me was advice. He said that I lived in a world of animals, and must govern myself accordingly. He said that animals could be either friends or enemies, and that even a friendly animal might turn on one suddenly. He said that I must try to make myself more than an animal, so that I would not be governed by passion alone. He said that a man could always control an animal, because a man thought and an animal only felt. . He gave me this advice because he was afraid for me, and wished no harm to come to me. I was a grown man when he died, but even to the end he would worry about any little scratch I received, or pat my shoulder as though I were still a little boy. The old Johnson place is near the low range of hills which protects the Valley from the area of the Ruins, all around the Bay. It was late the next day that I got there, though I rode fairly steadily. A farmer in the vicinity pointed the place out to me, keeping his distance pretty well when he noticed my Bodyguard badge. I dismounted a good distance away and, taking advantage of whatever cover there was, circled the house cautiously. It wasn’t deserted. There was smoke coming from the chimney, and a saddled horse was Standing in the yard. 1 moved closer, got ‘Imside the rickety fence, edged over to the window, and looked in. I knew what Norma had been whispering to the Chief. She’d told him to send some- one else along, to check on me.’ Billy Garth, whom Id last seen standing guard before the Chief’s door, was inside now. Also, there was a red-haired girl about ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION twenty years old, kind of skinny but still good-looking enough. Billy had the girl tied up in a chair. The smoke was coming from the chimney because Billy was heat- ing his knife, and I knew what he intended to do to the girl with it. — I figured I could take a chance on a bullet. Taking my gun out of the holster, I leaned it on the window sill. “Don’t bother heating that any more,” J said. The girl jerked her head around and looked at me. She wasn’t gagged, but she didn’t say anything. There was a big red mark across her face, and I figured she’d. been slapped around some. Billy turned slowly to look at me, the red-hot knife in his hand. “Well, look who’s here,” he said. “The tough kid. Took your time getting here, didn’t you.” “Put the knife away,” I said. “You might burn yourself.” I watched him closely, be- cause I don’t trust Billy. He just kept looking at me with his little ted eyes. “You can’t hit anything with that gun,” he said. “Sure not,’ I said. “Drop the knife, Billy.” He waited a little longer, and then sul- lenly dropped it point down into the floor, the wood- smoldering at the contact. “You're safe,” he snorted. “Got the nerve to come in now?” I came in through the window, watching him. When I was inside, I put my gun back in the holster. “The Chief send you?” I asked. “He thought maybe you needed some help.” : “Why did you come here straight, in- stead of meeting me on the road?” Billy picked up his knife and walked over to the corner where a bucket of water stood. He plunged the blade in the water several times, to cool it. “Never occurred to me,” he said. “Were you lonesome?” Il wasn’t going to get anything out of him. I turned my attention to the girl tied in the chair. “Who are you?” I asked. She didn’t say anything, just looked at me with eyes that almost scorched my jacket. However, the red hair made it obvious; she was one of Johnson’s family, maybe his daughter. I took out my knife, went over, and cut the cords that tied her. It didn’t change her expression; she just rubbed her wrists and ankles, and let her eyes spit hate at me. “You don’t have to look at me like that,~ I said. “Seems to me you owe me a favor.” EOmMmichboo cS (S@)