Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 66 — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

THE CREEP sphere where he can breathe his own atmosphere? You’re crazy!” *“‘There’s nothing to lose. Remember ?”’ Sam had no get-out. He accepted defeat and stood up from the alien’s side. said: ““You don’t mind, do you, if I just make sure first that the sphere is really empty? And since you’re so stricken with brotherly love, you can keep watch over Joseph while I look.” Lenalifted herchin defiantly. *“Go ahead, I'll wait.” There was still no sign of life in the street when Sam went outisde. His search for an opening in the smooth wall of the sphere took him as far as the corner of the block. From there he scanned the metal globe, stretching on tiptoes and craning his head backwards. He could just see over the curve to the top of the sphere. There was no porthole to be seen on that side. He came back to the bar and walked through the space 129 He between the alien machine and the wall of the building. He found the other half of the sphere as blank as the first. Sam rubbed his stubbled chin in thought. It was possible that the alien had closed the port behind him and, if it was close-fitting, it would be difficult to find unless its position was known. The more he thought of it, the more Sam believed that was the reason for the apparent absence of a doorway. He shrugged his shoulders and decided to give up the search. He expected Lena would harangue him for giving up so easily and began to build an excuse out of what he knew about airlocks and the neces- sity of sealing the other sig of a double door. A triple-toned whistle wrecked the edifice of his excuse before the foundation was laid. Sam stopped in his tracks and lifted his head to listen. The whistle sounded again—a fast open fifth and the tonic note repeated; a simple cheeky tune and the comiclooks.cormn