Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition, December 1955 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

RAT RACE 73 “O.K.,”’ said Lewis. ““When he gets back tell him to go over to the Odd Fellows Hall and go in the back way without attracting too much attention. I want him to go up to that tower room and keep watch on the front of the mortuary, note down everybody who enters or leaves and watch for those tanks. If the tanks go out, he’s to tail the carrier and find out where they go.” ‘““‘What’re you gonna do?”’ asked the sheriff. “Find a place where I can keep my eye on the back entrance. I'll call in when I get set.’? Lewis hooked a thumb toward the desk across from his. “When Joe Welch comes on, send him over to spell me.” “Right,”’ said Czernak. “I still think maybe you’re coon-doggin’ it up an empty tree.” ‘““Maybe I am,” said Lewis. “But something shady about a mortuary gives my imagination the jumps. I keep thinking of how easy it could be for a mortician to get rid of an inconvenient corpse.” “Stuff it in one of them tanks, maybe?’’ asked the sheriff. ‘“‘No. They weren’t big enough.’ Lewis shook his head. “I just don’t like the idea of the guy lying to me.” It was shortly after 10:30 A.M. when Lewis found what he needed—a doctor’s office in the rear of a building across the alley and two doors up from the mortuary garage. The doctor had three examining rooms on the third floor, the rear room looking down.on the mortuary back yard. Lewis swore the doctor and his nurse to secrecy, set himself up in the back room with a pair of field glasses. At noon he sent the nurse out for a hamburger and glass of milk for his lunch, had her watch the mortuary yard while he called his office and told the day operator where he was. The doctor came into the back room at five o’clock, gave Lewis an extra set of keys for the office, asked him to be certain the doer was locked when he left. Again Lewis warned the doctor against saying anything about the watch on the mortuary, stared the man down when it appeared he was — about to ask questions. The doctor turned, left the room. Presently, a door closed solidly. The office was silent. At about 7:30 it became too dark to distinguish clearly anything that might happen in the mortuary back yard. Lewis considered moving to a position in the alley, but two floodlights above the yard suddenly flashed on and the amber glow of a night light came from the window in the back door. Joe Welch pounded on the door of the doctor’s office at 8:20. Lewis admitted him, hurried back to the window with Welch following. The other deputy was a tall, nervous chain-smoker with a perpetual squint, a voice like a bassoon. He moved to a position beside Lewis at the window, said, ““What’s doing? Sheriff John said something about some acetylene tanks.” “It may be nothing at all,” said Lewis. “But I’ve a feeling we’re onto something big.” In a few short sentences he explained about his encounter with the mortician that morning. “Don’t sound exciting to me,” said Welch. “‘What you expecting to find in those tanks?” “I wish I knew,” said Lewis. Conmmicbooks.conl & @ ols