Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

THE SHARPIES | 111 partner was feeling fear for the first time. “Is... is he all right?” George croaked. “Yes,” replied Smith. “Now we must make arrangements to go.” Hugh took a deep breath and thrust his feelings down with an effort. He wanted very much to see the Smiths go, he would be glad to help them accomplish any and all preparations. “Here are your lists,” he said. “All the checked items are out in the ware- house. If you want to inventory them, we can do it now. When are your trucks arriving?” 7 “We will not inventory them. We do not have sufficient time,” replied the Smith who had the lists. He put his hand in his coat pocket and with- drew a shining instrument. “Do you have religious beliefs?” Hugh and George looked their question. “We will allow you a little time for any rites which you may wish to per- form. Then we shall kill you.” Cold terror gripped Hugh’s brain. The certainty came to him that he would die strangely and be nothing just as soon as the Smith with the vicious round shining thing decided that he had had enough time for prayer. Suddenly there was a soughing sound and the door disappeared. It didn’t crumble or crack, it was just gone. Something flashed through the vacancy to bury itself in the opposite wall with a vicious thud. On the way it severed the arm of the Smith hold- ing the weapon just below the elbow. The other Smith whirled to face this threat. He held a fighting crouch for a few long seconds and then straight- ened and dropped his arms resignedly to his sides. He mouthed some strange sounds to the darkness beyond the door. In answer, five men entered the room. They were tall, like the Smiths, but they were completely bald and had a cast of features that was utterly dif- ferent. The brows were indented, the chins sloping, and their noses so short as to be little more than a small pro- tuberance with two round holes. Each wore a type of tight coverall garment. Hugh felt a wonder even through the terror that gripped him. These were not human beings. The two Smiths were efficiently hustled into a corner of the room. They stood there side by side, facing the newcomers, a steady, slow, flow of yellowish fluid dripped from the stump of the Smith with the lopped off arm. As a final touch of horror, one of the coveralled beings looked around, picked up the severed forearm and courteously returned it, after having removed the weapon from the clenched fingers. The injured Smith nodded and took it in his remaining hand. An entirely incomprehensible con- versation between the Smiths and their obvious captors took place. Finally, in apparent response to an order from one of the strangers two of them stepped forward, reached up and incredibly began to peel off the Smiths’ hair and faces. After the wigs and masks were gone, the Smiths stood revealed as members of the same race as the coveralled beings. Another order from the chief and one ofthe smiths’ captors left the room. He shortly returned with an apparatus resembling a small camera on a tripod. This was set up in front of the Smiths, and the strangers gathered behind it. One of them took notice of George and Hugh for the first time since they had entered. Las “Turn around,” he said in grating English. They did. Hugh was mildly surprised to find that his limbs obeyed him. Comichooks.co