Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

STAND-IN headed. He says nice things to me.” “Oh, all that bosh.. .” She looked at him with her candid, thoughtful grey eyes. Then she said, softly: ““You’re far too arrogant, Walter. But there’s nothing I can do about that now, is there? If you order me to stay in tomorrow evening, Ill have to do as ’m told.” “‘Nonsense. If you want to go out with Simon, you go out.” | ‘TI could send Babs,” she said, with the flicker of a smile. The smile struck echoes. Walter began to laugh. It was really an awfully good idea. Simon would be far too dense to notice the dif- ference—Simon would be de- lighted by the gentleness and politeness of the duplicate Barbara. He said: “‘That’s splendid. That’s really wonderful. He’ll never know. Even when he kisses her he won’t notice the difference.” “What makes you suppose 105 I allow Simon to kiss me?” “Oh, a friendly peck now and then... it doesn’t mean anything. No need to be worried about it.” Walter went on, chuckling. ‘Poor Simon !”’ “Poor Simon,” echoed Barbara. The thought of the hoax kept on recurring to Walter during the course of the following evening. He had watched Barbara dressing Babs ready for the evening out, and when, just before Babs left, the two of them came into the room in a flurry of womanish excite- ment, Babs was so convincing and so very human that he gave her a drink with an instinctively courteous bow of appreciation. “Old Simon’s going to have a wonderful time,’ he ob- served when he and Barbara were alone together. “‘Damn it, he’s a very lucky: chap. Not everyone has such ex- cellent substitutes provided.” “Simon is very lucky,” Barbara agreed, connicloooks.comn