eak up,
Spud. Can't hear a word you're saying. No time to be bashful."

Again the dummy's mouth opened, the head bobbed and the eyes blinked.
The gurgle became a half-strangled gasp. It whined unsteadily a few
moments then broke off completely. The cast in the wings began to stir
nervously. Crawford was obviously straining. A vein throbbed in the
center of his forehead and his lips were tight over his teeth.

"Stage fright," he said in an aside to the audience. Turning his head
aside, he coughed and cleared his throat and pretended to whisper with
Spud. "Speak up, Pal. This is what we rehearsed for."

The mouth of the dummy flapped up and down without cadence. The soldiers
snickered, squirmed restlessly. A sound started, a low, plaintive wail
that broke into a dirge and finally into a wild shriek from Crawford's
lips. He screamed and kicked over the chair his foot was balanced on.
The dummy toppled to the floor.

"I can't! I can't! My voice is gone!" He was screaming and clutching at
his throat, trying to loosen his collar. The curtains closed behind him
as soldiers leaped to their feet all over the auditorium.

He screamed, "I've lost my second voice! They took it from me! The
Martians stole my voice!"

The announcer grabbed his arms then and tried to lead him from the
stage. Crawford shoved him away.

"They took it," cried Crawford. "No matter what they tell you, the
Martians took Spud's voice. It fitted their frequency. They'll use it to
reach Earth! I can't get it back!"

Colonel Meadows and several MPs who were stationed in the wings came out
and dragged him from the platform.

The G.I. audience remained silent a moment longer, then broke into loud,
nervous rumbling. Seconds later Colonel Meadows returned to the
microphone and held up his hand until the confusion died down. He
explained briefly about Dr. Shalt's experiment and how Crawford had been
asked to participate. He told how a human voice had been sent to Mars
for the first time and how Crawford had suffered a temporary shock on
hearing his voice return from this journey.

He assured the audience that Crawford would receive the best medical
care and would probably be back performing at the field in a few short
weeks. He asked the soldiers to remain in their seats and let the show
continue out of respect for a great performer.

The orchestra began the refrain of a popular song and the guest vocalist
appeared wearing a white strapless evening gown