> -----Original Message-----
> James said:
> And here is the part that is bugging me:
> 
> I KNOW I read a story years ago where a rich guy has himself 
> cloned, the clone escapes, finds the original, kills the 
> original, is mistaken for the original and then the kicker at 
> the end is that someone tells the "guy" that the clone 
> couldn't have made it anyway 'cause he had a slow acting 
> poison or "cellular degeration" or some other such thing built 
> in so it would only live a short time.
> 
> Does anyone else remember that story?
> 
> I thought it was a Bradbury, but I can't find any mention of 
> it on the net.
> Now it's going to bug me...
> 

Butch Malahide on rec.arts.sf.written provided this reply which is correct:

SPOILER WARNING 

The story is "Good Night, Mr. James" by Clifford D. Simak. The clone 
was made for the purpose of carrying out a specific mission, of 
destroying a dangerous alien creature loose on Earth. From the ending: 


"This is Allen, over at the duplication lab. We've been waiting for a 
report from you." 


"Well," said James, "I . . ." 


"I just called," interrupted Allen, "to tell you not to worry. It 
slipped my mind before." 


"I see," said James, though he didn't. 


"We did this one a little differently," Allen explained. "An experiment 
that we thought we'd try out. Slow poison in his bloodstream. Just 
another precaution. Probably not necessary, but we like to be positive. 
In case he fails to show up, you needn't worry any." 


"I am sure he will show up." 


Allen chuckled. "Twenty-four hours. Like a time bomb. No antidote for 
it even if he found out somehow." 


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