Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 41 — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION here introduced to us when we were first forming six or seven years ago?” Stephen Clary! Good Lord, he had not thought about the boy for years. Phil’s heart beat a little faster. He looked around and saw that the others did not remember Stephen. “We considered the pos- sibility that he was one of us,” continued the youth. “He moved away to New York with his family before we could be sure—do you re- member him, Phil?’’ Phil nodded. “Good, Philip. I vaguely remember him myself. I think we decided at the time that he was simply a very bright youngster, but not... like us.” One or two of the others mumbled vague recollections. The leader held up the newspaper clipping. “Listen to this: ‘Boy injured in wild leap from train. Twelve-year- old Stephen Clary sustained multiple fractures late last night in a wild plunge from a passenger train which was taking him to see a local psychiatrist’.”’ Phil stared. Stephen Clary 136 “*The boy, described by his father, Henry L. Clary, as an extremely bright but highly emotional child, fought his way past railroad porters and passengers to plunge from the speeding train as it neared the city outskirts. He was picked up, dazed and severely in- jured, a short time later. He resisted all who came near him until he lost conscious- ness. A trainman who helped subdue the hysterical boy — quoted him as_ screaming that “the future of Terra depends upon me.” The twelve-year-old’s father said he was bringing his son back to visit a psychologist who once before treated him for delusion and hysteria. He said the boy had tried to run away from his New York home “time and time again,” apparently headed for boy- > 99 hood friends here’. A stunned silence fell upon the group. The leader care- fully folded the newspaper clipping and slipped it into his shirt pocket. “Tt is obvious that Stephen | Clary must be prevented from seeing the psychiatrist.” ““Why?’? demanded Phil. a conniclooolkks.connk