Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 52 — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION If he goes now, and we are still safe, so it remains for ever. We reach our own time again ” She stopped abruptly, and clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes stared at the big man in dismay. His defiant pose sagged and he made a gesture of futility. Del Marno—for it was obviously he—at last looked at me. He said, wearily: “*As for my wife, sir, it is no matter. Mostly she does things like this. Now she lets slip the fact that we come time- travelling, from four hundred years in your own future oy “Stop talking!” the woman screamed. “He may yet % *“No, Barba, it is too late.”’ The big man shook his head. “Your slip has already told him too much.”’ I clutched the back of my head to keep it in place. “*Time-travelling? Like that Wells thing? You mean—— Oh, no, this is ridiculous. Are you trying on some kind of confidence trick, by any chance ?’’ . “You believe not now,” said Del Marno, “‘but soon you will—and possibly the know- ledge will change your life, and so the lives of your descendants, until cur own 166 time be reached. The Youn Calculator itself, which makes the means to time-travel, is powerless to predict the ex- tent of any such change. All time-travel involves this risk, for the balance between past and future may be upset. Every second we stay here, every word we speak, may so alter the course of history that our very lives be can- celled out of existence. But first I must send Barba back, then hypno you.” He ad- vanced purposefully toward his wife. The situation had moved - too rapidly for me to under- stand it. Del Marno’s manner seemed sane enough, though somewhat menacing, yet his words refused to make sense. Icouldn’t see what danger—— My thoughts scattered as Barba rushed on me and gripped my arm furiously. “Stop him!’ she cried, hysterically. “I won’t go back, I won’t! All he has for me are his jealousy, and his anger, and his pride. Del Marno——”’ she spat the name “ I give it back! I stay here-now, and see you never again!”’ “Barba! Calm _ yourself,” I began, futilely enough, and then stopped abruptly. For the first time the illogical comiclooks.conn