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s she had been through a great deal and she was concerned I would not believe her。 She had gone to the local authorities； she said； and they had laughed at her。 I assured her that I wouldn't laugh； that I was accustomed to hearing incredible stories from credible people。
〃Last November 。。。 I think it was the second or third；〃 she began； 〃I was out behind this building； getting ready to go home。 It was seven or eight o'clock。 Suddenly there was a little flash； like a camera flash gun going off； directly above me 。。。 and then I saw a thing 。。。 some kind of flying machine。 I couldn't move。 I guess I was frozen with fright。 This thing landed right there in the parking lot not twenty feet away from me。 It was like a big cylinder。 Anyway； it didn't make the slightest bit of noise。 It just drifted down and stopped。 Like I say； I couldn't move。 I guess I started praying。 Then two men came out of it and they walked over to me。〃
She studied me anxiously as if expecting me to laugh。
〃What did they look like？〃 I asked。
〃They were just normal…sized； normal…looking men； but their skins were a funny color 。。。 dark； like maybe they were heavily tanned。 The light was pretty bad there so I couldn't see them all that well。〃
〃Were they Negroes？〃
〃No。 No； they didn't have Negroid features。 Their faces seemed kind of pointed。 You know； pointed noses； pointed chins； high cheekbones。 There was a kind of evil look about them。 I was afraid I was going to get robbed or attacked。〃
〃How were they dressed？〃 I leaned back and lit my pipe。
〃As near as I could tell； they were wearing some kind of coveralls； something like a uniform。 Then they started talking to me。〃
She kept watching me； reluctant to continue。
〃What did they have to say？〃 I prompted； trying to avoid leading questions。
〃Well； it was all pretty silly。 They just wanted to know my name； where I was from； what I did for a living； things like that Sometimes it was hard to understand them。 Their voices were sort of singsongy and high…pitched。 It was like listening to a phonograph record played at the wrong speed。 And they kept asking me for the time。 They asked 'What is your time？' two or three times。 Finally they just walked back to the thing and it took off。 Then I could move again。 I was scared out of my wits but I decided not to tell anyone。 Then a couple of days later I heard about a man up near Parkersburg who had the same thing happen to him。〃
〃His name is Woodrow Derenberger；〃 I volunteered。 〃Have you met him？〃
〃No。 I just heard something about him on the radio。〃 She paused and moistened her thin lips。 〃I wonder 。。。 did he ever see those men again？〃
〃He says he did。〃
She looked relieved。
〃Well； I saw them again。 I saw them in broad daylight。 Walking right down the main street in Gallipolis。 This time they were dressed in normal clothes。 They looked like anybody。 They sort of nodded to me when they passed me。 I got scared all over again。 Real scared。 That's when I went to the police and told them what I saw。 They laughed at me and said I was probably just imagining things。〃 She paused again and shook her head sadly。 〃You see； I've been to the police before 。。 。 about my cattle rustlers。 I guess they think I'm some kind of a nut。 I went to the FBI； too。 They came out to my place but said they couldn't find anything。 After that somebody tapped my telephone。 Maybe it was the FBI。〃
I was scribbling in my pocket notebook。 A year or two earlier I would have classified Mrs。 Bryant as a paranoid…schizophrenic。 But she didn't seem like a mon run…of…the…mill nut。
She and her two teen…aged children lived on a farm outside of Gallipolis。 She kept cows there and beginning in 1963…64 she started to have trouble with cattle rustlers who butchered the animals in the field。
〃Whoever they were；〃 she observed； 〃they didn't seem to want the choice cuts。 They just took the brains； eyeballs； udders； and organs that…you know…we'd normally throw away。〃
Had she ever caught the culprits in the act？
〃Several times；〃 she said。 〃I'd see them out in the field and go after them with a shotgun。 But they always got away。 They're tall men and they wear white coveralls 。。。 which is kind of stupid because they really stand out in the dark。 And they can certainly run and jump。 I've seen them leap over high fences from a standing start。〃
Her home burned to the ground during that period and she built a new one…story ranch house on the same site。 One night when she was alone in the new house； she said； she woke up and found herself unable to move。 She felt a wave of almost overpowering heat as she heard the kitchen door open。 She had double…locked it before going to bed。 While she lay there helplessly； she said she saw a tall figure walk through the kitchen and apparently go out another locked door on the other side。 After it left； she was able to move。
Other strange sounds pervaded the house； she claimed。 She and her children often heard heavy footsteps on the roof and loud metallic clangs。
After interviewing her； I drove out alone to her house to talk to her children。 The Bryant farm was quite isolated on a hilly back road。 The house stood on a knoll overlooking the surrounding fields。 Her teen…aged son was a down…to…earth boy； used to the responsibilities of being the man in the family。 He confirmed his mother's stories about the rustlers and added some interesting details。 He pointed out some nearby trees。 One night； he said； as he and his mother were walking up the road they saw a large glowing object hovering directly above the trees。 〃She was scared real bad；〃 he noted。 Their telephone often went dead for no reason。 Other times they got calls that just consisted of strange beeping sounds and 〃electronic music。〃 He also mentioned the big gray 〃flying boxcars〃 that often flew over the area at treetop level。 〃It's a wonder they don't crash；〃 he said。 〃If they flew any lower they'd have to put their wheels down。〃
When I examined the kitchen of the little house I found that the locked door through which the nocturnal phantom had supposedly exited led to nowhere。 There were no steps outside； just a very steep drop of about ten feet to the ground。
Later I checked with the local police about rumors of disappearing dogs and cattle in the area； and I brought up Mrs。 Bryant's name。 〃That poor woman；〃 I was told。 〃She's always seeing things。 Just a couple of months back she came in here with some story about spacemen walking around Gallipolis。 Before that it was cattle rustlers。〃
So Mrs。 Bryant still sits on her farm； watching the strange lights in her fields； and when her phone rings she waits a long time before she picks it up。
11 … If This Is Wednesday； It Must Be a Venusian
1。
James Lilly stood on his lawn surrounded by reporters from Charleston and Huntington newspapers； Sheriff George Johnson and his wife； and a host of others。 Hundreds of automobiles lined the Camp Conley Road； dark and silent ex