Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 54 — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

NONENTITY throat punctured and his blood spraying in a thick, red mist from the force of his slowing heart. Jeff was the one who hovered beside him, a knife in his hand, a foolish expression on his face, blood on his clothing and dull wonder in his eyes. | “He’s dead,” he said, stupidly. “The old man’s dead.” “So he is.’’ Henley felt his stomach muscles tighten as he stared at the big man. “What made you do it, Jeff?” “Do it? Do what?’ Un- derstanding and rage came together. “I didn’t kill him.” *“No » sibs “Damn it! I tell you I didn’t kill him and you can’t make me say I did! I was asleep, drifting, and I heard a groan. I reached out and felt the knife and at the same time you put the lights on. Hell! Anyone could have done it!” “Who ?’”? Henley shook his head. ““You might have got away with it, Jeff, but you ' were unlucky. Another minute and you’d have been in the clear. You could have got rid of the knife, perhaps palmed it off on someone else, and the blood would have stained us all.”’ He took a deep breath. “Sorry, Jeff, but the facts are plain.” 99 “Are they?” The big man closed his fist around the knife and glared his defiance. “We'll see about that. I’m innocent and I know it, and when we get picked up the lie detectors will prove it. Some- one in here is a murderer, and the only thing I’m certain about is that it isn’t me.’ He © glared at the others. “It could have been you, or Lorna, or the woman. How do I know that one of you didn’t do it?” “I was sitting here all night,” said Henley, tiredly. “Lorna?” “IT was with you part of the time, with Jeff some of the rest.”” She didn’t look at the big man. “I was by myself just before the lights went on.” “Mrs. Caulder ?” “Asleep. Tommy was rest- less and I didn’t drop off for some time.” “You see? No one’s got an alibi. I just happened to be the unlucky one.”’ Jeff stared down at the dulled blade. “Someone must have carried this thing on him, and it’s not likely that it belongs to a woman. That leaves you and me, Henley—and I know that it wasn’t me.” “JT didn’t kill him,” said Henley, tiredly. He kicked himself from the stool. ““Talk- comicloooks.comn