Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 66 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION ‘That is interesting.” Rah- ming looked tired, as though he’d spent hours fighting a lost cause. “I should inform you that Galactic Union will cut our credit—flat—if the crops fail this season.” “The weed won’t bother you,” Vaun said. He ignored the gasp from the aliens, and went on: “Your man Jorgen was in the pay of certain interests. Those interests will become plain to you as I proceed.” “Please do.”” Rahming had dropped his attitude of in- difference. He was vital, alert, hanging on Vaun’s words. “Jorgen had been planting the weed seeds in the bins prior to sowing: He had the best chance of access to the warehouse. If challenged, he could get away with a ready excuse. Our arrival threw him off slightly, and he was forced to sneak in and try to plant the killer seeds in the bins during the night. We caught him, but he got away.” Calshot grunted hard at this. 26 ““The other agencies,” Vaun — went on blithely, with a side frown towards Calshot, “‘were either frightened off by these mysterious powers, or they carried out normal anti-pest procedures as practised by agronomic experts. But Vaun and Calshot are something extra special in the way of experts.”” His smugness was fairly dripping off him by this time. Rahming fidgeted, and Calshot coughed warningly. Vaun went on: “‘This planet has vast mineral resources, Mister Rahming. Untold wealth lies below the surface. It was an easy thing for mining interests to discover this; there’s no secret made of your sole application to agriculture. We'll find, I have no doubt, that all the other agencies were scared off by mining syndicates, or their hired gangsters, and we ourselves were subjected to a number of attacks. The seeds lay in the ground all winter, and then, when the spring came, grew slowly alongside the regular crop.” comicloooks.com