important to tell 'em."
"If I knew what it was about," the operator was becoming irritated, "I'dconnect you with the right party."
Zack hesitated, reluctant to give his startling news to a mere operator.Instead, he hedged. "Well, who would have charge of things that lightup?"
"Oh, you want the electrical engineering lab. Just a moment, sir."
There was a series of clicks and buzzes in the earpiece then Zack hearda man's deep voice.
"Hello."
"Hello," Zack replied, "this the electrical engineering lab?"
"Yessir, that's right."
"Well, my name is Zack Stewart and I own a forty-acre farm on the CanalRoad just outside of Smithville."
"I'm Professor Donnell, can I help you?"
"Yeah," Zack took a deep breath then began, "my cow Junius was missingsince yesterday morning and this morning when I went out to search forher again, I found her."
"Mr. Stewart," Professor Donnell's voice was impatient, "I'm a very busyman with a heavy class schedule. Why in the world would I care if youfound your cow or not?"
"You'd care if you knew how I found her."
"Alright, Mr. Stewart, how did you find your cow, with some new kind ofradar?"
"Nossir, I found her by following the bright light in the north wood andwhen I got there, there was Junius lit up like a neon sign."
"Mr. Stewart, are you drunk?"
"I knew you wouldn't believe me. All I can say is, come see for--"
Zack heard a sudden click then an immediate buzzing. Professor Donnellhad hung up.
* * * * *
He had no sooner replaced the phone when there was a pounding on thedoor. He opened it and saw six state troopers and four important-lookinggentlemen in civilian dress. A trooper who looked as though he might bein charge, spoke to Zack.
"Sir, we don't want you or your wife to get panicky, but we have reasonto believe that something strange is going on in your woods. These menare from the atomic research laboratory at the University and they areconvinced that a flying saucer has landed out there."
"It ain't no flying saucer," Zack spoke wearily.
"It isn't?" one of the gentlemen asked, disappointed, "then what is it?"
"It's Junius, my cow."
"Your--WHAT?" the state trooper exclaimed incredulously. "Are you nuts?"
Angrily, Zack jerked his thumb in the direction of the north woods.
"Jest go out there and see fer yourself and then tell me I'm nuts."
They hurriedly left the house, looking back skeptically at Zack.
Zack and his wife stood in the doorway, watching them until they wereout of sight in the woods.
"You watch 'em come busting back here in a minute, maw."
In a few moments they saw the men scrambling out of the woods, rushingmadly for the house, holding their eyes.
"Now I don't have to convince anybody," Zack smirked.
By the time they reached the porch, they were all talking excitedly andrubbing their eyes. The state trooper in charge pulled Zack aside.
"Mister," he asked ominously, "what the hell happened to that cow?"
"I don't know," Zack spoke with sarcasm, "jest the way I found her."
The important-looking civilian bustled past the patrolman and confrontedZack.
"I'd like to use your phone," his hands moved nervously, "where is it?"
Zack showed him and the man rushed to it and hastily dialed a number.
"This is Professor Jonathon Sims, Nuclear Physicist at State University.Put me through immediately to the Governor. It's very important."
There was a slight pause as Sims drummed impatiently on the phone.
"Hello! Hello, Governor? Professor Sims. I'd like a contingent ofNational Guardsmen around the farm of Zack Stewart on the old CanalRoad. A most astounding thing has happened out here. For the welfare ofthe Public, I urgently request this farm be placed under tight securitycheck at once and the Federal Government notified immediately."
"Hey now, wait a minute, Mister--" Zack protested.
Sims motioned him into silence, his ear glued to the phone.
"Sir," he hesitated, glancing at the group sideways, "you won't believethis until you see it. But we have positive proof a saucer has landedhere. Mr. Stewart's cow is radiating intense blue and white light, thekind that has been associated with the glow of flying saucers."
Sims paused, listening to the Governor. Zack saw him fidget and stick aforefinger in his collar.
"Honestly, Sir! I am not drunk! The cow is radiating light."
"See?" Zack grinned at him. "Now ya know how I felt."
Sims ignored him, concentrating on the phone.
"Yessir, there is a state trooper here." He turned to the one in charge."He wants to speak to you." The trooper took the receiver.
"Hello, Governor. Sgt. Les Johnson of the Highway Patrol." Pause."That's right, sir. There's a number of people here who can swear toit. Yessir." This time the trooper fidgeted. "I seen it too. Blue-whitelight, yessir. Nossir, we are not having a drinking party. The light wasreported by the pilot of the Continental Airways early this morning andwe investigated. Yessir." He held the receiver towards Sims. "He wantsto talk to you again."
The Governor was finally convinced something indeed strange washappening at the Stewart place, but being a solid citizen and faithfulservant of the people who elected him, he couldn't believe the fantasticstory the professor and the trooper told him. He decided to see forhimself and rang for his chauffeur after his telephone conversation withProfessor Sims.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Stewart turned to Sims.
"Will you please tell us if Junius can be milked?"
"I really don't know yet, Mrs. Stewart. I'll have to investigate thearea for harmful radio-activity first, then I'll have to check the cow,herself. Pardon me." He turned to the phone again.
Trying to keep his voice and emotion under control, Professor Simscalled his laboratory at the University and ordered among othertechnical equipment, a Geiger counter, a gamma-ray detector, a portablelead shield, body and temperature thermometers, a portable X-raymachine, and a dozen pairs of smoked glasses.
The equipment arrived within the hour, and Professor Sims distributed itamong his assistants with his instructions. It was understood that healone would approach Junius, wearing his smoked glasses and carrying theprotective lead shield, to make the initial test. If his tests provedthat Junius could be safely approached, he would go back for the others.
"You look like one of them flying saucer fellas, yerself," Zack laughed,seeing Professor Sims donned in the lead shield and the dark glasses.
Sims waved at the crowd in the farmyard and walked awkwardly toward theglow in the north wood, less pronounced now in the daylight. Theywatched until his retreating figure disappeared into the woods, and theywere still watching the spot for what seemed a long time afterward. Oneof the assistants fidgeted and looked at his watch.
"He's been in there twenty minutes. Wonder what he's doing?"
"I hope he's milking her," Mrs. Stewart said hopefully.
Zack chuckled as a thought struck him.
"What's so funny, Zack?" his wife asked.
"Junius," Zack's chuckle bubbled into laughter, "will be the first cowto give radiated milk."
* * * * *
Finally, after another fifteen minutes, they saw Professor Sims emergefrom the woods. As he came across the pasture they could see that hissmoked glasses were propped above his eyebrows and he was concentratingon a small notebook in his hand, shaking his head from time to time.
When he finally joined the waiting group, he was flooded with questions.
He gestured them into silence.
"Please, I cannot answer any questions as yet until I have consultedwith my assistants. Sgt. Johnson, will you please have your men guardthe clearing while we hold a conference?"
"Is it safe to get that close to her?" the trooper asked, unbel
ieving.
"I can assure you that it is. There is just a negligible amount ofradio-activity present, and no more ultra-violet rays then there are inan average sun lamp. But you must wear your glasses." Turning to hisaides he said, "Come gentlemen," and they followed him into thefarmhouse.
"Can she be milked?" Mrs. Stewart wailed after them.
"What a gadawful situation," Zack muttered, grabbing a pitchfork andheading for the barn.
The scientists seated themselves around the big dining-room table andfaced Professor Sims.
"Gentlemen,