Firing Line
By GEORGE O. SMITH
Illustrated by Orban
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Astounding Science-Fiction, October 1944.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Mark Kingman was surprised by the tapping on his windowpane. He thoughtthat the window was unreachable from the outside—and then he realizedthat it was probably someone throwing bits of dirt or small stones. Butwho would do that when the doorway was free for any bell-ringer?
He shrugged, and went to the window to look out—and become cross-eyedas his eyes tried to cope with a single circle not more than ten inchesdistant. He could see the circle—and the bands on the inside spiralinginto the depths of the barrel, and a cold shiver ran up his spine fromthere to here. Behind the heavy automatic, a dark-complected man witha hawklike face grinned mirthlessly.
Kingman stepped back and the stranger swung in and sat upon thewindowsill.
"Well?" asked the lawyer.
"Is it well?" asked the stranger. "You know me?"
"No. Never saw you before in my life? Is this a burglary?"
"Nope. If it were, I'd have drilled you first so you couldn't describeme."
Kingman shuddered. The stranger looked as though he meant it.
"In case you require an introduction," said the hard-faced man, "I'mAllison Murdoch."
"Hellion?"
"None other."
"You were in jail—"
"I know. I've been there before."
"But how did you escape?"
"I'm a doctor of some repute," said Hellion, "Or was, until my darkerreputation exceeded my reputation for neural surgery. It was simple.I slit my arm and deposited therein the contents of a cigarette. Itswelled up like gangrene and they removed me to the hospital. I removeda few guards and lit out in the ambulance. And I am here."
"Why?" Kingman then became thoughtful. "You're not telling me this formutual friendship, Murdoch. What's on your mind?"
"You were in the clink, too. How did you get out?"
"The court proceedings were under question for procedure. It wasfurther ruled that—"
"I see. You bought your way out."
"I did not—"
"Kingman, you're a lawyer. A smart one, too."
"Thank you—"
"But you're capable of buying your freedom, which you did.Fundamentally, it makes no difference whether you bribe a guard to lookthe other way or bribe a jury to vote the other way. It's bribery ineither case."
Kingman smiled in a superior way. "With the very important differencethat the latter means results in absolute freedom. Bribing a guard isfreedom only so long as the law may be avoided."
"So you did bribe the jury?"
"I did nothing of the sort. It was a ruling over a technicality thatdid me the favor."
"You created the technicality."
"Look," said Kingman sharply. "You didn't come here to steal by yourown admission and your excellent logic. You never saw me before, andI do not know of you save what I've heard. Revenge for somethingreal or fancied is obviously no reason for this visit. I was chargedwith several kinds of larceny, which charges fell through and Iwas acquitted of them—which means that I did not commit them. I,therefore, am no criminal. On the other hand, you have a record.You were in jail, convicted, and you escaped by some means that mayhave included the act of first-degree murder. You came here for