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The Shining Cow · Classic Short Science Fiction Stories

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Section twenty of short science fiction stories by various authors.
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Shining
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: Cow by Alex James. This is not a story about
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: sinister aliens from outer space. This is simply the story
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: of what happened to poor Junius when she found herself
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: much too close to a flying saucer, long enough so
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: she could be analyzed, and long enough to cause some
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: strange happenings on that farm. Robbie whined, enacted like his
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: eyes were burning, as if he'd gotten dust or something
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: even stranger into them. Jack Stuart stared deeply into the
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: bottom of his cracked coffee cup as his wife began
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: to gather the breakfast dishes. Missus Stuart was a huge
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: methodical woman, seasoned to the drudgery of a farm wife.
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: Quite methodically. She'd arise every morning at four a m.
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: With her husband, and each would do their respective until
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: long after the sun had set on their forty acre farm.
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: You've just got to find Junius today, Zack, Missus Stewart,
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: spoke worriedly. Lord only knows her condition, not being milk
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: since yesterday. Yeah I know, ma, Zack said wearily, as
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: he rose from the table. I'll search for her again
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: in the north woods. But if she ain't there this time,
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: I give up. A dog suddenly howled outside. There was
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: a brief instant when neither moved. Then Zack suddenly exclaimed
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: it's Robbie and dashed outside. In the light from the
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: open doorway, Zack saw the dog creeping along on his haunches,
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: howling and whining and scratching frantically at his tear streaming eyes.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: Skunk finally got you, ay boy, Zack spoke sympathetically, as
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: the dog, fawning, came closer. Stay away, Robbie, stay away now,
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: he ordered the dog. Robbie whined and scratched again furiously.
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: Zack sniff caught cautiously, expecting any moment the pungent smell
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: of skunk fluid to hit his nostrils. He sensed nothing
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: but the clean, fresh smell of the morning air, so
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: he leaned closer, within a foot of Robbie. He sniffed again, nothing.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: He realized it wasn't a skunk that caused Robby's eyes
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: to burn. He knelt down and took the dog's head
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: tenderly in his rough, calloused hands and examined his eyes.
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: They were bloodshot and watery. He took some water from
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: the well and dashed it into the dog's eyes as
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: Robbie struggled, Hold still, boy, I'm trying to help you,
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: Zack soothed. He took out a blue work bandana and
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: wiped tenderly around Robbie's eyes. What did it boy? How
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: did it happen? Zack asked. Robbie merely whined. What's wrong
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: with him? Missus Stewart brow in hand, asked from the doorway.
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: Don't rightly know? Zack patted the dog. Acts like he's
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: got something in his eyes. Skut yunk nah, Zac shook
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: his head. He don't smell something else, cat no scratches either.
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: He acts like they're burnin him, like he got dust
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: or somethin in 'em. We'll take him out to the
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: barn and you better get after Junius. Yeah, mah, come on, Robbie.
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: He led Robbie to the barn and made him lie
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: on a bed of hay in one of the stalls,
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: then returned to the kitchen for his lantern. He put
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: on his thick denim jacket and work cap and turned
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: to his wife. If she ain't in the woods. I'll
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: come back and get the truck and drive over to
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: the Lemurs and see if he's seen her. He left
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: the kitchen and shone the lantern around the farmyard to
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: get his bearings, then headed for the north end of
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: his farm. He could see the faint glimmer of dawn
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: in the east, more pronounced in the northeast, and even
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: more so do north. He rubbed his eyes. A much
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: brighter glow outlined the tree tops in the north woods
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: that made the dawn on the eastern horizon looked like
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: a dirty gray streak. His first thought was a fire,
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: but there was no smoke, no flame. Zack walked dazedly
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: toward the woods, his eyes glued to the light above
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: the trees. Soon he was in the woods, and he
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: could see the brightness extended down through the trees from
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: the sky on the other side of the woods. He
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: approached cautiously as the light grew brighter and came to
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: the clearing where it was most intense. A thick bush
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: obstructed his view, and Zack moved it aside, then uttered
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: a hoarse gasp as he clutched at his eyes. For
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: a moment, he felt he was dreaming. He squinted between
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: the slits of his fingers. The glow was still piercing,
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: but he could see the brightly lit junius radiating blue
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: white light nibbling at the sparse grass in the clearing.
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: Zack stood transfixed, his eyes widening behind his fingers. He
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: felt the tears and the burning sensation, and squinted tightly,
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: turning his head from the unbelievable scene. Zack didn't remember
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: his return to the farmhouse or incoherently trying to explain
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: to his wife the scene he had witnessed. A stiff
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: jolt of elderberry wine drove off the jitters and reasoning returned.
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: His wife sat patiently, eyeing him oddly as Zack muttered,
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: over and over again, it's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. Missus Stewart rose,
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: I'm going out and see for myself, and Zack if
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: you're lying to me, Zack jumped from the chair, barring
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: her way. Believe me, Ma, it's true. Don't go out there.
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: It might be too much for you. It's the craziest
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: thing I've ever heard. Missus Stewart scoffed. A cow that
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: shines like the sun. Look, Ma, will you just come
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: with me as fur as the pasture. You can see
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: the glow from there, and maybe that mind convince you, yes,
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: yes I will. Missus Stewart jerked off her apron. I declare, Zach,
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: I think these chores are getting the best of you.
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: They walked to the pasture, their eyes on the tree
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: tops of the north Woods. A faint glow began to appear.
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: See see, Jack pointed, laughing crazily. Let's get closer. Looks
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: like a fire. Missus Stewart said, ain't no fire. Zach's
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: tone was angry. It's Junius, and she's all lit up
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: like a Christmas tree. Zach, Now you stop that kind
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: of crazy talk. There's a reason behind everything, and I'm
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: sure there's one for this. There's a reason, Ma, Junius
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: she got the whole clearing lit up like a noonday sun.
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: Lord only knows how she got that way, but she's
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: shining out there like a great big light bulb, only brighter.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: Missus Stewart quickened her pace toward the clearing. I'm going
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: to see for myself, she said, determinedly, and put an
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: end to this foolish nonsense. All right, Ma, Zack spoke resignedly.
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: If your mind's set, but I'm warning you you better
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: squinch your eyes tight. She's too bright to look at
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: poor Robbie. Must have got too good a look at her.
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: Missus Stewart approached the clearing ahead of her husband and
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: moved the same bush aside that had obstructed her husband's view.
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: Her gaze caught the brightly radiating figure of Junius, and
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: Missus Stewart screamed, clasping her face with her hands. Zack
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: had his head turned, but he groped for his wife,
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: grasped her arm and led her from the clearing. It's
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: too crazy to believe, Zack, She whispered, in awe, What
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: are we going to do? What has happened to poor Junius?
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: I don't know what happened to her, Zack answered, but
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: I know what I'm going to do about it. I'm
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: going to call the university and get them scientists fellas
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: down here. You suppose they can get close enough to
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: milk the poor thing. Missus Stewart clasped her hands in frustration.
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: She's probably in misery. Zack shook his head. Ain't no
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: tellin what they're liable to do, after they've seen her.
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: Most likely they'll want to ship her to the university
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: to examine her and see how she got that way.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: Why don't we call the veterinarian missus, Stewart asked. It
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: might be some kind of new disease. Ain't no disease, Ma,
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: It's something nobody in the world has ever seen or
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: heard of before. I just hope I can convince them
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: university fellas to come down here. Don't you think you
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: better tie Junius so she won't stray? Better wait an
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: see what them scientists say. Besides, if she strays, all
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: we gotta do is follow the light. Zach did the
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: most important chores, and at eight a m. On the dot,
• 8:47
  Speaker 1: he called the university. The operator at the switchboard answered sleepily,
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: good morning, State University. Mornin, ma'am. I'd like to talk
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: to one of them scientist fellas, to whom in particular,
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: do you wish to speak any of them that ain't busy?
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: I got something important to tell them. If I knew
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: what it was about. The operator was becoming irritated. I'd
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: connect you with the right party. Zack hesitated, reluctant to
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: give his startling news to a mere operator. Instead, he hedged, well,
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: who would have charge of things that lit up? Oh?
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: You want the electrical engineering lab. Just a moment, sir.
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: There was a series of clicks and buzzes in the earpiece.
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: Then Zack heard a man's deep voice. Hello, Hello, Zach replied,
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: this the electrical engineering lab. Yes, sir, that's right. Well,
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: my name is Zach Stewart and I own a forty
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: acre farm on the Canal Road just outside of Smithville.
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: I'm Professor Dunnell. Can I help you? Yeah? Zach took
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: a deep breath, then began. My cow, Junius, was missing
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: since yesterday morning, and this morning, when I went out
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: to search for her again, I found her. Mister Stuart.
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: Professor Dunnell's voice was impatient. I'm a very busy man
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: with a heavy class schedule. Why in the world would
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: I care if you found your cow or not? You'd
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: care if you knew how I found her? All right,
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: mister Stuart, How did you find your cow with some
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: new kind of radar? No, sir, I found her by
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: following the bright light in the north wood, and when
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: I got there there was Junius lit up like a
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: neon sign. Mister Stuart are you drunk? I knew you
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: wouldn't believe me. All I can say is come see
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: for Zach heard a sudden click, than an immediate buzzing.
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: Professor de'nell had hung up. He had no sooner replaced
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: the phone. When there was a pounding on the door.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: He opened it and saw six state troopers and four
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: important looking gentlemen in civilian dress. A trooper who looked
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: as though he might be in charge, spoke to Zach, Sir,
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: we don't want you or your wife to get panicky,
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: but we have reason to believe that something strange is
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: going on in your woods. These men are from the
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: Atomic Research Laboratory at the university, and they are convinced
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: that a flying saucer has landed out there. It ain't
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: no flying saucer, Zack spoke, wearily. It isn't. One of
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: the gentlemen asked, disappointed, Then what is it? It's junius,
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: my cow, you're what, the state trooper exclaimed incrediously. Are
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: you nuts? Angrily, Zack jerked his thumb in the direction
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: of the north woods. Just go out there and see
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: for yourself and then tell me I'm nuts. They hurriedly
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: left the house, looking back skeptically at Zach. Zach and
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: his wife stood in the doorway, watching them till they
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: were out of sight in the woods. You watch him
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: come bustling back here in a minute, Ma. In a
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: few moments, they saw the men scrambling out of the woods,
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: rushing madly for the house, holding their eyes. Now, I
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: don't have to convince anybody, Zack smirked. By the time
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: they reached the porch, they were all talking excitedly and
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: rubbing their eyes. The state trooper in charge pulled Zack aside.
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: Mister He said, ominously, what the hell happened to that cow?
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: I don't know, Zack spoke with sarcasm, just the way
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: I found her. The important looking civilian bustled past the
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: patrolman and confronted Zack. I'd like to use your phone.
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: His hands moved nervously. Where is it? Zach showed him,
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: and the man rushed to it and hastily dialed a number.
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: This is Professor Jonathan Simms, nuclear physicist at State University.
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: Put me through immediately to the governor. It's very important.
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: There was a slight pause as Sims drummed impatiently on
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: the phone. Hello, Hello, Governor, Professor Simms, I'd like a
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: contingent of National god gardsmen around the farm of Zack
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: Stewart on the Old Canal Road. A most astounding thing
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: has happened out here. For the welfare of the public,
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: I urgently request this farm be placed under tight security
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: check at once, and the federal government notified immediately. Hey,
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: now wait a minute, mister Zack protested. Sims motioned him
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: into silence, his ear glued to the phone. Sir, he hesitated,
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: glancing at the group sideways. You won't believe this until
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: you see it, but we have positive proof. A saucer
• 13:33
  Speaker 1: has landed here. Mister Stewart's cow is radiating intense blue
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: and white light, the kind that has been associated with
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: a glow of flying saucers. Sims paused, listening to the Governor.
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: Zack saw him fidget and stick a forefinger in his collar. Honestly, Sir,
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: I'm not drunk. The cow is radiating light. See, Zach
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: grinted him. Now you know how I felt. Sims ignored him,
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: concentrating on the phone. Yes, sir, there is a state
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: trooper here. He turned to the one in charge. He
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: wants to speak to you. The trooper took the receiver. Hello, Governor,
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: Sergeant Les Johnson of the Highway Patrol. Pause, that's right, sir.
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: There's a number of people here who can swear to it. Yes, sir.
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: This time the trooper fidgeted. I seen it too, blue
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: white light, yes, sir. No, sir, we are not having
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: a drinking party. The light was reported by the pilot
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: of Continental Airways early this morning, and we investigated. Yes, sir.
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: He held the receiver towards Simms. He wants to talk
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: to you again. The governor was finally convinced something indeed
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: strange was happening at the Stewart place, but being a
• 14:48
  Speaker 1: solid citizen and faithful servant of the people who elected him,
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: he couldn't believe the fantastic story the professor and the
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: trooper told him. He decided to see for himself rank
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: for his chauffeur after his telephone conversation with Professor Simms. Meanwhile,
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: Missus Stewart turned to Sims, will you please tell us
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: if Junius can be milked? I really don't know yet,
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: Missus Stewart. I'll have to investigate the area for harmful
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: radioactivity first. Then I'll have to check the cow herself.
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: Pardon me, He turned to the phone again, trying to
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: keep his voice and emotion under control. Professor Simms called
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: his laboratory at the university and ordered, among other technical equipment,
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: a Geiger counter, a gamma ray detector, a portable lead shield,
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: body and temperature thermometers, a portable X ray machine, and
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: a dozen pairs of smoke glasses. The equipment arrived within
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: the hour, and Professor Simms distributed it among his assistants.
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: With his instructions. It was understood that he alone would
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: approach Junius, wearing his smoke glasses and carrying the protective
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: lead shield to make the initial test. If his test
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: proved that Junius could be safely approached, he would go
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: back for the others. You look like one of them,
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: flying saucer fell as yourself, Zack laughed, seeing Professor Simms
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: donned in the lead shield in the dark glasses. Sims
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: waved at the crowd in the farm yard and walked
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: awkwardly toward the glow in the north wood. Less pronounced
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: now in the daylight, they watched until his retreating figure
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: disappeared into the woods, and they were still watching the
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: spot for what seemed a long time. Afterward, one of
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: the assistants fidgeted and looked at his watch. He's been
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: in there twenty minutes. Wonder what he's doing. I hope
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: he's milking her, Missus Stewart said hopefully. Zack chuckled as
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: a thought struck him. What's so funny, Zack? His wife
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: asked Junius. Zack's chuckle bubbled into laughter. Will be the
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: first cow to give radiated milk? Finally, after another fifteen minutes,
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: they saw Professor Simms emerge from the woods. As he
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: came across the pasture, they could see that his smoke
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: glasses were propped above his eyebrows, and he was concentrating
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: on a small note book in his hand, shaking his
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: head from time to time. When he finally joined the
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: waiting group, he was flooded with questions. He gestured them
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: into silence. Please, I cannot answer any questions as yet
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: until I have consulted with my assistance. Sergeant Johnson, Will
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: you please have your men guard the clearing while we
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: hold a conference. Is it safe to get that close
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: to her? The trooper asked, unbelieving, I can assure you
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: that it is there is just a negligible amount of
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: radioactivity present, and no more ultra violet rays than there
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: are in an average sun lamp. But you must wear
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: your glasses. Turning to his aids, he said, come, gentlemen,
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: and they followed him into the armhouse. Can she be milked?
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: Missus Stewart wailed after them, What a god awful situation,
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: Zack muttered, grabbing a pitchfork and heading for the barn.
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: The scientists seated themselves around the big dining room table
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: and faced Professor Simms. Gentlemen, this is the most amazing
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: thing that ever happened. The cow is glowing out there
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: like a miniature atomic pile, and under the circumstances as
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: we know them, should be deader than a door nail.
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: But there she stands, shining like the morning sun, chewing
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: her cut and just mooing away as if nothing happened.
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: What is your theory, professor, One of the assistants asked,
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: I have one, but it's utterly fantastic. Simms answered, so
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: is that cow out there? Let's hear it. Do you
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: remember how much more frequent saucer sightings were reported in
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: this area alone? Simms asked, all the assistants nodded their heads. Well,
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: Sims went off. I am of the opinion that a
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: saucer actually landed out there, and they came across the
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: cow by accident. They either shot her with some sort
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: of radium raygun or some luminous substance unknown to us.
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: Why didn't Junius die, one of the assistants asked. Sims
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: shook his head. They wished to examine her. You see, gentlemen,
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: whatever it was, it served a threefold purpose. It made
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: her luminous immobile. And Sims placed both hands on the
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: table and leaned forward for emphasis. Transparent. There was a
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: gasp and exclamations transparent. How I was within a foot
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: of the cow, felt her hide, and through the glasses
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: I could see the skeletal frame, the chest cavity, the
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: heart beating within the entire intestinal track, much much more
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: clearly than could be seen by the best X ray.
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: As if on command, the assistance all rose simultaneously. Sit down, gentlemen,
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: the cow isn't going anywhere. We shall have to face
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: this situation with sound scientific reasoning. There will be a
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: closed van here soon to pick up Junius and haul
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: her to the laboratory, where we can examine her more thoroughly. Now,
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: my belief is that the saucer took off in haste,
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: with such great haste, that they forgot to extinguish poor Junius.
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: I believe they will be back looking for her. Therefore,
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: we shall have to return her tonight and conceal ourselves
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: around the area and watch splendid idea. Professor Simms, one
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: of the assistants, exclaimed, yelling voices in the farmyard caught
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: their attention. They saw Sergeant Johnson through the dining room window,
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: coming across the yard, yelling and pointing to the sky.
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: Sims rushed from the house met Johnson, grasped him by
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: the shoulders, shaking him. What happened, man, what happened? Sims asked?
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: Black light? Black light, Johnson shouted, pointing skyward. Sims looked
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: up nothing but the serene blue of the summer sky,
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: and occasional bird caught his eye. Sims shook him again,
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: more roughly, speak man, what happened? Black light flashed down
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: on the cow, blackest light you ever saw. The group
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: gathered round him in the yard, trying to make sense
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: out of what he said. So engrossed were they with
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: his babblings that none but Missus Stewart was aware of
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: the fact that Junius had entered the farmyard and was
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: eyeing them curiously. Junius, she exclaimed, OOO. The crowd looked
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: up to see the ordinary, unlit Junius standing calmly by
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: the gate. Hurry and get the milk. Pale Zach, Junius
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: is all right now, Missus Stuart yelled happily to her husband,
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: as Professor Simms and his assistants led the hysterical trooper
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: into the house. High over the horizon of faint silvery
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: disk was disappearing at fantastic speed to outer space. End
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: of section twenty. End of twenty short science fiction stories
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: by various authors