Astounding Science Fiction (British Edition) — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

THE GULF BETWEEN 13 “Is there anything vainglorious about what I’ve done so far? When you say I’m vainglorious, you're en- gaging in some wishful thinking. I used my company in Korea to get what I wanted—until the very last when the old women in regimental headquarters decided sentiment was more important than competence. I’ve used the spy organization in this coun- try—I used it, I didn’t pet it. That’s what convinced Dovorski he needed me over there. I’ve done everything I claim to have done and I'll do every- thing I claim I’m going to do. You know that, don’t you?” Knight had the unpleasant feeling that he did, but he only said, “‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” “In a few years you'll be eating it and you'll find it a bitter dish. And now—we’ve chatted long enough.” Cullin got to his feet, slowly so as to not excite the trigger finger of Carlos, keeping his own pistol trained on Knight. He spoke to Carlos in Spanish. “I’m leaving. If you try anything, Pll kill your friend.” Carlos locked questioningly at Knight and Cullin smiled thinly. ““Do you want to be a hero and die to have him stop me, Knight? You can, you know.” Knight’s answer was to Carlos. “Keep your gun on him. If he goes out peacefully, don’t shoot him. If he makes any suspicious move, kill him.” Carlos nodded, then laughed, but the revolver in his hand remained as steady as a rock. ““What’s he laughing about?’ Cul- lin demanded. — “T think it amuses him to think of the results, should he pull that trigger.” “You wouldn’t be around long enough to join in his merriment, Knight—remember that.” Knight smiled without answering and Cullin backed to the door, keep- ing his pistol leveled on him. Carlos remained at the bar, following Cullin with the sights of his revolver. Cullin reached the door and paused a mo- _ment in it to say, “You'll be hearing about me—more and more every year and you won’t like what you hear.” Then he was gone and the roar of his truck came seconds later. Knight listened to the sound of it as it took the almost-impassable road along the shore line. There would be no use try- ing to follow over such a road in his own pickup. “You saved my life, Carlos,” he said. “I don’t intend to forget it.” Carlos laughed and slapped the revolver down on the bar. “It’s a for- tunate thing, my friend, that my mild nature is belied by a fierce and mus- tachioed countenance. Otherwise he might have killed us both.” “It is,” Knight agreed, “but I wish we could have stopped him some way.” He sighed morosely and frowned at the revolver on the bar. “The next time I come down this way, I’m going to bring you some cartridges and a firing spring for that thing.” The doctor was waiting for him to speak. What thoughts lay behind those star- ing eyes as the doctor waited? Was the doctor aware of how swiftly death was approaching? But of course—the doctor had changed the words on the communi- cations panel in front of the empty ilot’s chair. They now read : OB- SERVER HAS A LIFE EXPEC- TANCY OF ONE HUNDRED HOURS AT PRESENT ACCELE- RATION. DEATH FOR OBSERVER WILL RESULT UNLESS ACCELE- RATION IS REDUCED WITHIN THAT PERIOD. EComichooks;co im