Astounding Science Fiction (British Edition) — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

THE GULF BETWEEN 31 “JT have no desire to cause anyone embarrassment or discomfort,” the cold-eyed Whitney replied. “My busi- ness is to sort people into two different classes—guilty and innocent. An un- expected question suddenly snapped at a suspect will often go a long way toward indicating the person’s guilt or innocence.” ‘Then why don’t you snap some questions at a few others?” June de- manded. “Vickson and the workmen who helped build the ship and George —What makes you so sure—” “Sit down, June,’? Connie ordered, going back to her own chair. “Give him a chance to ask his own ques- tions.” June hesitated, half turning away to do as her sister had ordered, then Whitney made the mistake of second- ing the order. “Yes, sit down,” he commanded, unconsciously rubbing his hand down the cheek that had been her intended target. She whirled back to face him, the rebellion flaring hotly. “Never mind any such details as dictating our pos- ture—just get on with your ques- tions!” She waited for him to dare repeat his order, standing erect and defiant before him, and an expression of help- less defeat flitted over his face. Knight watched with combined sympathy for him and amusement. The cold-eyed Whitney was accustomed to dealing with dangerous men and awing them —but how does a man go about awing a hundred and five pounds of fuming, spitting female wildcat? “IT have no more questions to ask— now,” Whitney said. He spoke to Knight. “Dr. Clarke was in Yuma— we contacted him by phone and he’s on his way back, now. He’s given orders for public announcement of the postponement of the ship’s test flight and when he returns we'll continue the questioning—of everyone con- nected with the ship, including the robot.” “Have you questioned George at all?” Knight asked. “Very briefly,” Whitney said with a wry smile. ‘Questioning a robot isn’t too informative—a robot does no more than answer each question as it’s given. It requires time plus a great many questions to get the entire picture. We questioned the robot briefly, as I say, and learned only that his check showed the drive controls to be cross-circuited. When Dr. Clarke returns, we’ll do a thorough job of the questioning.” _ “Have you questioned Vickson?”’ “He was spending the night with friends in Center Junction, we learned. A man was sent after him and they should return any minute.” **Here?”’ “We'll all meet at the Computer area gate, then we'll go to Lab Four and find just who is guilty.” Whitney turned to Miles. “Since the evidence against your wife is so uncertain, and since she is in frail health, she will remain here. If we need her, we can send a man after her. I’m afraid you’ll have to go with me, now. At present, the evidence points only to you. If you're innocent, we'll do everything in our power to prove it. And if you’re guilty’—he smiled grimly—‘“we'll do everything in our power to prove it.” “Thanks,” Miles replied with the same grimness. ““That’s exactly what I want you to do.” Connie got to her feet. ““There’s no question about his innocence—it’s all a ridiculous mistake. But I realize there is no way you can know that until everyone is questioned and the guilty one found. As for the message in the monument—I know nothing whatever about it. I always sit by the monument and feed the chipmunk, but I certainly never knew someone EComichooksnco im