DIAGNOSIS
By R. A. Palmer
Illustrated by H. W. McCauley
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Other Worlds March
1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Take two men and one girl—the eternal triangle—and mix well with anoscilloscope gone haywire. What comes out? With ingredients like these,the result is adventure, terror and, of course, romance.
"What time did you get to bed last night?"
"Oh, about ... well, fairly early."
"Who were you out with?"
"Brannan."
"Then you didn't get to bed early! If you got in by three, it would beearly, if I know Brannan."
"I got in much before three!"
"How much?"
"Oh ... enough. You'd be surprised...."
"I'm sure I would! Mary, how do you expect us to get anywhere with thisexperiment if you come in dog-tired?"
"Donald Jensen, I'm not dog-tired. It's you who's got me in bed inthe wee hours, not me! I came in early."
"Then why won't you state the exact time?" he was exasperated.
She smiled at him archly. "I don't remember, exactly."
"You don't seem to have much of a memory for anything when it comes toBrannan. What you see in a guy like that, I don't know."
"What's wrong with him?"
"Not a thing. He's a nice guy. Quiet, respectable, deep—and only onething on his mind."
"What?"
He glared at her. "You're a smart girl," he said. "You work with me inthis laboratory eight hours a day. You are engaged in a very complexexperiment with the human brain, registering its waves and emanationsin relation to thought, emotions and purely psychological relations.You've got a degree in psychology, another in psychiatry, a third inbiology. You have written several advanced papers on the functions ofthe subconscious mind and its effect on the conscious mind. You havekept this job for three years, exacting as it is. You're a brilliantgirl. And yet you can ask a stupid question like that!"
She smiled at him even more brightly. "What's stupid about it?"
He stared at her, then suddenly grinned back. "Okay, you're ribbing me.But dammit, you let a guy like Brannan soft-soap you and squire youall around the town, and eat it up, and when I pay you a legitimatecompliment, you act like ... like a woman!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Jensen, sir," she said. "I didn't mean to forget we areworking in a scientific laboratory and that you are my boss. We areboth men, working on a man's job—"
He groaned. "Okay, you win. But will you quit rubbing in that sillystatement I made when I hired you? Sure, I said it was a man's job,and I wanted it handled like a man. But you needn't grow a beard overit!"
"Might be a good idea. Then when you fire me for being dog-tired, Icould get a job in a circus."
"Yes, and if you bungle this morning's experiment, I may be able toget a job in a nuthouse!"
She was instantly contrite. "Oh Don, I won't! But why don't you do thehard work, and let me be the subject? Then if anything goes wrong, allyour work won't be lost...."
"Nuts. You know as much about it as I do. And besides, what if Iaccidentally picked up your emotional seat and found out what timeBrannan really brought you in last night?"
"Maybe you'd be surprised."
"I'd like to have Brannan under the machine," he said. "Maybe you'dbe surprised."
"Mary Mason can take care of herself," she said.
He looked at