Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 41 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

THE PHOENIX NEST You have done a good job. What are their equivalent ages now?” Strothmeyer had made the calculation that morning. Al- lowing for the lapse of a few hours, he said: “‘Thirty-four years and three months, Pro- fessor—according to my cal- culations.’’ He smiled in self deprecation. Knaut grunted. “Ill accept that. We won’t wait any longer. Tomorrow is the day.” Strothmeyer felt a surge of excitement and opened his mouth to speak, but Knaut cut him off. “‘Are the suits ready ?” “Yes, sir. All ready.” “You have the shirts, under- wear, socks, shoes, scarves and gloves ?”’ “Yes, Professor. thing.” “Good!’? Knaut squinted into the distance, as if search- ing for some article of clothing which might have been for- gotten. “We have been pre- paring for so many years! And still, I always feel that I may have forgotten something.” Strothmeyer suppressed a smile, knowing that he could never tell his superior what he Every- 29 knew was the forgotten ele- ment. Instead, he said: “I have great confidence, Pro- fessor, that the experiment will be a success.”’ Knaut looked at him sternly, with the appreciation which a battle captain shows a non- com who has proved reliable. “Thank you, Strothmeyer,”’ he said. “I am sure you know how important the out- come is to me.” The great day was come, the day upon which Sir Winston Churchill would become twin new Churchills, to serve man- kind and glorify the name of Knaut and, by reflection, of Strothmeyer. Professor Knaut was nervous, but he covered his nervousness with a brusque manner. Dr. Strothmeyer, on the other hand, felt a strange calm. He was like a magician’s assistant who has substituted a platypus for the usual rabbit in the hat and who waits to see the magician just as surprised as the audience at the emer- gence of the unexpected beast. In this case, however, the audience was imaginary. The two scientists had dis- cussed the advisability of in- conmicloooks.Ccomn)