Astounding Stories #73

A brilliant scientist's humiliation at the hands of his hometown pushes Elston Morrell into complete isolation, where he pursues revolutionary work in secret—until the government comes calling during a desperate space race against the Soviets. When agents J. Peterson and B. W. Hoffman finally track him down to his laboratory on Cardiff Hill, they discover something far more sinister than they bargained for.

Terry Marlowe—born Clarence Tubbs—has clawed his way from years of failure to become a celebrated jazz trumpeter, riding an inexplicable wave of success that seems tied to a single pawnshop horn and a gold coin he can't retrieve. But as fame and wealth pour in, Terry discovers that his dream of stardom rings hollow without the one person he left behind. When he discovers that Amy is now Mrs. Arthur Morgan, his hollow triumph becomes a prison of his own making.

Dr. Orin Blakely, curator of the Institute of Psychic Research, explores the origins and persistence of humanity's belief in lucky horseshoes through a series of historical tales—from a lost battle that hinged on a missing shoe, to a prospector whose discarded horseshoe led to a fortune, to a horseshoe-pitching champion saved by his own weapon. Each story examines how a simple iron curve has captured our imagination and shaped superstition across the centuries.

Linda has been mysteriously shadowed her entire life by the enigmatic Mr. Jones—a man who never ages, appears at crucial moments to save her from danger, and seems to hold the secret to her puzzling origins. Now, on the eve of her 25th birthday, Mr. Jones finally arranges to reveal everything, but his arrival brings a shocking ultimatum that forces Linda to confront the truth about who she really is and what binds them together. As the story unfolds, she discovers the extraordinary reality behind her strange, guided existence—and learns that her future may not be entirely her own.

Hugh Jenson is a trader with larceny in his heart, and when he spots a golden idol sacred to Chief Paloki and the island people, he can't resist the scheme—despite their desperate warnings about what the idol means to their survival. After stealing Nedru under cover of darkness, Jenson discovers that the island itself has other plans for him, and the consequences of his greed become far more than he bargained for.

In "The Throwbacks," a centuries-old time capsule cracks open in a peaceful society, unleashing three criminals from a violent past. When a quiet man steps forward to confront them, the fragile peace is tested in a moment that could change everything.

Test pilot Ted Foster arrives in quiet Vermont seeking rest and recovery after a harrowing plane crash and nervous breakdown—only to encounter a strangely beautiful woman near an abandoned farmhouse, who vanishes as mysteriously as she appears. When they meet again under moonlight, she reveals her name is Cynthia Eulalie Parriser and makes him promise never to speak of her to anyone, hinting at some unnamed burden she carries. Drawn to her despite—or perhaps because of—her cryptic nature, Ted becomes determined to uncover the secret that keeps pulling Cynthia away.

For over a century, strange rains of frogs have fallen across the globe—and while scientists have offered the usual explanation of whirlwinds scooping up ponds, the mystery deepens when investigators find no missing lakes, no nearby storms, and always the same peculiar details: only young, unusually white frogs, never water plants or other creatures. This tale explores the baffling phenomenon that has left even psychic researchers searching for answers, and suggests a theory that reaches far beyond our own world.