Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 67 — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION the shaded light above the machine shone on his assis- tant, mumbling some calcula- tions. Nixon settled down once more and slept. So tired... wonder when they’ll get it done... 7? All the money spent on the: blasted thing and then it doesn’t work... so tired... He awoke again with a start. It was quite dark all around and he groped feebly to find his bedside lamp. He heaved a satisfied sigh as he found the switch and pressed it. It wouldn’t work. He was in darkness. Outside the church clock was chiming. It jarred into his brain and he counted the strokes automatically: One... two... three—— Three o’clock! Haven’t they got the machine working yet? He settled down to sleep once more. Something disturbed him with a jar. He sat up and looked around, trying to re- collect his thoughts ... Outside, the church clock began to chime. He counted the strokes: One... two.. three—— 98 Three o’clock! But it had struck that a moment ago! Why—— Of course! It had worked. Rand had done it. Nixon was suddenly jubilant. He was isolated, alone, on a stretch of time. Something jarred him lightly and he almost laughed as he realised what the sen- sation was. Outside, the clock began to chime: One ... two... three. Damn! Wish there was some light—but that’s impossible, because there was no light when the change occurred. Surrounding conditions are permanent, Rand had said. God! An eternity in dark- ness! Imprisoned within the same endless sixty seconds of dark- ness, with that constant jar- ring every minute—and that clock! That clock! Something jarred his body quite lightly and outside the clock beganits clanging chimes one... two... three—— He started to scream shrilly as it began striking for the eleventh time: One... two... thr—— comicloooks.com