Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION and it was pretty embarrassing to them. They’re waitresses, and they have as much right to their private lives as you have, you know. Now, just because your son got him- self gowed up, you close down the place, as if I was to blame because he can’t hold his liquor.” “The issue,’ said the Colonel, “‘is not that someone got drunk in your place. The issue is that, during a brawl, an officer of the World Government troopers was struck by one of his men. That is a court martial offence. The fact that the officer was my son has absolutely no bearing on the matter, and I hope you know me well enough to believe that.” “T believe it. But I wonder if you know the facts. You’ve probably heard your son’s story. Now hear mine. The lieutenant was not struck by Corporal Brewster, or by anyone else. He was falling- down drunk, and he fell down after he made a pass at a girl. He knocked his head on a 120 chair as he fell, and that’s where he got his shiner. That’s the way it happened. I saw it myself and I can produce a dozen other witnesses. How © many can the lieutenant produce?” “T had acted on the strength of his word—the word of an Officer and a gentleman,” said the colonel. “Well,” said Mary, “I haven’t got any ‘gentlemen’ to speak for me—just men and women who were sober enough to see what went on. A court martial would acquit Joe Brewster sure, and it would make Lieutenant Cole look mighty foolish. So I’m asking you, as a right guy, to see if my facts don’t stand up better than his—and then to let Joe Brewster out of the stockade and to take the padlock off my place.” “You may be sure,” said the colonel, who was frown- ing down at his desk, “that I will act in accordance with regulations, and on the facts as I see them.” “That’s all I ask, Colonel.” comiclooks.corn