Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION imbecile mind. He had to preserve the belief in Michel’s existence. If, as the opposi- tion plainly intended, ““Michel’’ were placed in an asylum, they could do with the real Michel as they liked. It was essential—— So long as the new tissues were soft—— It didn’t have to be Pren- tiss’s original face. Just some- thing distinct from Michel’s— Where the hell had he knocked that pain-image to? When he finished, neither Prentiss’s employers nor Michel’s friends would have recognised the face he had invented. But “‘Michel’’ was not going to be incarcerated in an asylum. Satisfied—but almost as weary as the kidnapper—he made his way out, casually _ erasing the memory of his presence from the brains of those who had seen him. “‘That’s damned clever,” Guiscard admitted, dryly. “It was just as well you managed to fix matters before you left.” 50 ““Where are you?” “Heading north, out of town. I'll keep you posted.” Michel awoke to the jolting of a well-sprung car over an appalling stretch of road. There were blinds over the windows, but it was plain that it was light outside—a thin, watery, leaden light, like early dawn. He groaned and shifted slightly. The mark of the cosh had come up in angry red and blue across his fore- head, and ached foully. When he had the pain under control, he began to evaluate his surroundings. He was on the back seat of the car, between two men, uniformly. pale, dark, with brilliant, tired eyes which reminded him of Richard Montague, but otherwise quite unlike—too unlike ever to be confused. They sat in perfect stillness and waxen concentration. He looked from one to the other in astonishment, and then guessed that they were en- comicloooks.com