Astounding Science Fiction (British Edition), April 1944 — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

GALLEGHER PLUS “Space police! Are they after me, too? What did he want?” “You,” the robot said. “Good-by. You interrupted a lovely song I was singing to myself.” “Make that coffee,” Gallegher ordered as the image faded. He stepped out of the booth and stood for a moment, considering, while he stared blankly at the towers of Manhattan rising around him, with their irregular patterns of lighted windows, Square, oval, circular, crescent, or star- shaped. A call from Washington. Hopper cracking down. Max Cuff and his thugs. Fatty Smith. Smith was the best bet. He tried the visor again, calling DU. “Sorry, we have closed for the day.” “This is important,’ Gallegher insisted. “IT need some information. I’ve got to get in touch with a man—” “I’m sorry.” “S-m-i-t-h,” Gallegher spelled. “Just look him up in the file or something, won’t you? Or do you want me to cut my throat while you watch?’ He fumbled in his pocket. “If you will call tomorrow—” “That'll be too late. Can’t you just look it up for me? Please. Double please.” “Sorry.” “I’m a stockbroker in DU,” Gallegher snarled. “I warn you, my girl!” “A... oh. Well, it’s irregular, but— S-m-i-t-h? One moment. The first name is. what?” “T don’t know. Give me all the Smiths.” The girl disappeared and came back with a file box labeled SMI. “Oh, dear,” she said, rifling through the cards. “There must be several hundred Smiths.” Gallegher groaned. “I want a fat one,” he said wildly. ““There’s no way of checking on that, I suppose.” The secretary’s lips tightened. “Oh, a rib. I see. Good night!” She broke the connection. Gallegher sat staring at the screen. Several hundred Smiths. Not so good. In fact, definitely bad. Wait a minute. He had bought DU stock when it was on the skids. Why? He must have expected a rising market. But the stock had continued to fall, according to Arnie. There might be a lead there. He reached Arnie at the broker’s home and was insistent. “Break the date. This won't take you long. Just find out for me why DU’s on the skids. Call me back at 59 my lab. Or Ill break your neck. And make it fast! Get that dope, understand?” Arnie said he would. Gallegher drank black coffee at a counter stand, went home warily by taxi, and let himself into his house. He double-locked the door behind him. Narcissus was dancing before the big mirror in the lab. “Any calls?” Gallegher said. “No. Nothing’s happened. Look at this graceful pas.” “Later. If anybody tries to get in, call me. I'll hide till you can get rid of ’em.” Gallegher squeezed his eyes shut. “Is the coffee ready?” “Black and strong. In the kitchen.” The scientist went into the bathroom in- stead, stripped, cold-showered, and took a brief irradiation. Feeling less woozy, he re- turned to the lab with a gigantic cup full of steaming coffee. He perched on Bubbles and gulped the liquid. “You look like Rodin’s Thinker,” Nar- cissus remarked. “Ill get you a robe. Your ungainly body offends my aesthetic feel- ings.” Gallegher didn’t hear. He donned the robe, since his sweating skin felt unpleas- antly cool, but continued to drink the coffee and stare into space. “Narcissus. More of this.” Equation: a (or) b (or) c equals x. He had been trying to find the value of a, b, or c. Maybe that was the wrong way. He hadn’t located J. W. at all. Smith remained a phantom. And Dell Hopper (one thousand credits) had been of no assistance. It might be better to find the value of x. That blasted machine must have some pur- pose. Granted, it ate dirt. But matter cannot be destroyed; it can be changed into other forms. Dirt went into the machine; nothing came out. Nothing visible. Free energy? That was invisible, but could be detected with instruments. Voltmeter, ammeter—gold leaf— Gallegher turned the machine on again briefly. Its singing was dangerously loud, but no one rang the door buzzer, and after a minute or two Gallegher snapped the switch back to OFF. He had learned nothing. Arnie called. The broker had secured the information Gallegher wanted. ““°Twasn’t easy. I had to pull some wires. But I found out why DU stock’s been dropping.” comiclooks (©