Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

THE MOON IS HEAVEN 89 “Of course it will. And a good thing too. These things have far too much value attached to them! But it will be too late to affect me. You see, Mike, I have already con- tracted with the world’s largest diamond concern to deliver these gems. My money is waiting for me. I get it on delivery, and the concern has everything ready for immediate production of these baubles. They will clean ‘up the field some time before the next party gets back from the Moon.” You must admit there’s a good deal of sense in what he says. It looks as though the scheme’s foolproof. Too bad he. won’t get away to reap the benefit. Because now more than ever you’ve no intention of letting him do this thing. To think that during all the preparations back on Earth, during all the. work and trouble and propaganda and set- backs, Schnabel was thinking only of getting a pocketful of diamonds! ; ‘*So,”’ he goes on. ‘‘ You see that you have to die. Also, of course, the others must. too. It’s a pity that the lovely Reina must turn into dust here on the Moon. I was thinking of taking her back with me, but of course she would talk. And anyway, I shall not be short of lovely women when I’ve got my fortune.’’ ‘You stand there on the ledge and gradually tense yourself for the lunge. You try to look beaten because you are pretty sure that Schnabel can see your face through the helmet. You reckon it’ll be any moment from now. ‘* I suppose you’re right,’’ you say. ‘‘ You seem to have worked it out in detail.’”’ He laughs. ‘‘ Yes, right down to the last detail, Mike!’ And it’s the laugh that’s his undoing. Men can’t be truly on guard when they are laughing. So as soon as the guffaw starts, you send yourself forward, your legs ramming down on the rock, your shoulder pointed straight at his chest. _ Even so, he’s pretty quick. His hand comes down with the boulder and lets it fly. But the angle is wrong. It misses. Jyst as well, you think. > ae comicbooks.com