Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 65 — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION away. When she had finished she spread folded arms on the bar counter and began to weep. Sam put out a hand to touch her heaving shoul- ders. He thought better of it. To: Harry, he said: ““There’s gratitude for you. After I’ve saved her from worse than death. God, if only I could save her from that, too! Give me another drink before I get maudlin, Harry.” Harry obeyed. ‘“‘What I like about you,” said Sam, “‘you never tell me I’ve had enough. Good old Harry!” It was about nine o’clock then, and the roof wasn’t due to fall in for another half hour. The door was flung open just as nine rang, and Max Binder stalked in. Sam Garnet squinted sideways over his beer to see who it was. He watched the rest of Binder’s entry in the bar mirror. Max was big. He was built like a tree. But the weevils of worry had made him a pretty rotten tree. Sam won- dered how such a big man could be so chicken. He decided that working for Grossen wasn’t good for a man’s health, no matter how attractive the reward. He was more glad than ever to be out of the organisation. Max was sweating heavily. He came right to the point. ““Grossen wants you back, Garnet,”’ he told Sam’s image in the mirror. ““He says you must come right away.” Sam turned slowly and looked Max up and down. “Elegant suiting you’ve got,” he said. ““You’ve done pretty well for your self with Grossen. Tell me, Max—has it been worth it? How well do you sleep at nights ?”’ “You’ve double-talked enough for one day. You’d better come at once. Those were his orders.” “Orders? I was fired this morning. Remember?’ “He said to forget that. He wants you back.” Sam coughed on a new-lit cigarette. “How much?” he wheezed. “How much does he want me back? And how much is it worth to me?” Binder mopped his brow. He swallowed once at the 126 comiclooks.con