The Big Jump

By Evelyn E. Smith

He was quite the most important man in all of human history. If only he hadn’t crossed himself up so terrifyingly everywhere. Time travel is tricker than it looks.

Evelyn E. Smith is best known as the author of the Miss Melville mysteries. From 1952 to 1969 she wrote dozens of science fiction and fantasy short stories that appeared in magazines such as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Galaxy, Super Science Fiction, and Fantastic Universe. Her stories were witty, well written, often humorous, and always unforgettable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wilder Publications, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781515450238

Evelyn E. Smith

Evelyn E. Smith (25 July 1922 – 4 July 2000) was an American writer of science fiction and mysteries, as well as a compiler of crossword puzzles.

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The Big Jump

by Evelyn E. Smith

©2021 Positronic Publishing

The Big Jump is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or institutions is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except for brief quotations for review purposes only.

>E-book ISBN 13: 978-1-5154-5023-8

The Big Jump

He was quite the most important man in all of human history. If only he hadn’t crossed himself up so terrifyingly everywhere.

Jarvis pulled out his meerschaum pipe and pointed it at me. Remember, Degan, you’re on your own from now on. If you get into trouble, we can’t help you. He said it as if the matter were settled.

I stared at him incredulously. You can’t expect me to go hunting through all the millennia for Leinwand. Surely you’re not actually suggesting—

He cut me off with a preemptory wave of his hand. We have only one time-cycle—and you’re our best man, he said. It’s up to you to find him.

But that’s impossible! I protested.

Nothing is impossible, my boy. His hands were trembling as he lighted the pipe. "You know that’s the slogan of the North American Intelligence Service. A thousand years will pass like an hour. In fact, on the time-cycle, it will be an hour."

But—

And, remember, we always get our man. Bring back Leinwand, Degan. The safety of our universe depends on you.

Strictly corn! Yet he was nervous—I could see that. I suppose it is easier to sit behind a desk and order someone to accomplish the impossible than to try it yourself. But the waiting probably isn’t much fun.

I still couldn’t figure the whole thing out, though. Why was the commissioner asking me more or less to commit suicide for the sake of one wretched murderer? I suspected he’d