Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 48 — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

RECOIL “Wait a minute,” Rey- nolds ordered. He examined a sheet of paper that some- one had handed him. After holding it close to a strong hght, he motioned the strong men to stop carrying away the boxes of personal effects. At his signal, they began rip- ping open the cases. “But I don’t want to un- pack yet,” Nielson began con- fusedly. The conglomeration of cameras, clothing, firearms and guidebooks that Nielson had brought for his expedi- tion looked strange in the combined light from a distant sun, two nearby moons, and artificial lighting. Reynolds selected the re- volver, picked it up in his handkerchief, and __ stared fixedly at Nielson : “ Are you going to tell the truth now, or wait for a for- mal questioning ?” Nielson looked at_ the battered Perseus, as if it had been whispering to Reynolds, telling tales from its muti- lated memory. The ship 87 loomed menacingly, motion- less behind him. “The truth?” Nielson finally succeeded in mutter- ing to Reynolds. “Yes, about shooting Moore. If you'll confess and give your motive, you might get off with life imprison- ment. You could help us to determine why any man should kill another man in space. This is the first time such a thing has happened, you see.” “But you can ask the man on the report board. I didn’t kill Moore. I haven’t touched that gun since I left Earth. Moore died of a stroke.” Words suddenly were spilling volubly from Nielson. “I had to put his body into a life-rocket so that it wouldn’t ruin the chemical processes of the ship, and then it broke loose when I tried to get out of a meteor storm. You can hunt for the body. You'll see there isn’t a mark on it. If there isn’t a mark on it, I couldn’t have shot him.” comiclooks.cormn