◆ SpookStack

116 ry astic senators, Madeleine, whe had worked = .__ 7ov- emment office for many years, jus! stood up snd told them that she wouldn't like to be in THEIR shoes when people found out what was being kept trom them. Did they think the public was blind? Many had seen the plones chasing the saucere. Even children, And Madaleige had come out of the committad- roam seething ith anger. A tew eoeks afterwards she had “filmed & Scout: ship over her own "front Fred loosened vp & tittle 2s we sped along the road Grussals-Antwerp. Patrick, who studied at Grussela University, and who himasif lectured on fying aaucers, was a good driver, but fast! “Madeleine was at the airport as we left Washing- ton. Oh, and Linde, her friend, was with her. You know, that young woman whe had some sightings. She's written ta you; I think. A nice girl, There ware two Brothers. standing back a bit in the crowd. Thay weren't with Madgleing. Maybe she knew they were there.” He wont on talking ebout some of the Brothers he had mat. Ingrid joined in occasionally, her eyes bright and shining. "Oh, Ronald! she said, in her German-eccented American, derviing the words. “If you only could meet them! There is this wonderful feeling of good- went that seome to reach out io you.” Fred's rather serious face celaxed a Jittle as he spoke. One could see he was no fenalic. Fred Steck- ling and ingrid were not monay-grabbing “contact- ees” making o fast buck. They spoke quietly, but forcefully af times. Perhaps Fred could not quite shake off this fesling of having to tonvince someone all ive time. “Ronald,” he eaid, after @ rather long, somewhat tired eilence. They'd been travelling for many, many hours, "Ronald, do you know, it's just as if they have eur frequencies. i had « birthday a while back - ingrid. was about to burst in with wife-like enthusiesm but Fred's voice siopped her. "I had a birthday a while back," Frad went on. “ingrid and | were wat- ching T.V. | don't remember the show. Suddenly =" and again ingrid was bursting with agreement, ™.. suddenly it went doot-di-di-deot-doot, on the T.V. jest like that, maybe ten or a dozen times. Doot-di- di-doat-doot. lagrd and | just looked at gach other — and then we both DASHED oul onto the poarch." Patrick awerved among the traffic on a bumpy - patch ef road. “There over the house was the saucer, it just ewayed thers, back and forward. Then # seemed to owing down low as the light ehowed from the porch and then shot off over in the direction of Washing- ingrid covldn’t held harsel! any longer. “And do you know, Ronaidi’ she burst in, “Madeleine had the same thing happen on ker birthday! Linds and some mort friends were just being sean off from the house and they called out to Madeleine to look. And thers ‘ute contact ewe te was this red, glowing light swaying over i. see!" Fred smiled knowingly. \ a can bet, they've got our wave-lengths!” he sa As wa looked out at May’e long lily-pond in the apacious lawn, the big, leafy trees almost overhang- ing the house and splashing the ground with shadow, Fred gave @ little laugh to himself and glanced up si me. He was 80 often secicus, especially when he tatkad te thea seosle whe asthared al Mav's haves, Quests, reporters ete, - it was Rice to see him with a, somewhat twisted, grin. There were no gimmicks with Fred. "| sew m taucer close overhead same while age. - There are a LOT of them around that area — § had Sy camera with mé, this tamara — and | ran off some film and i felt 20 gosh-damed plazsed with mysetfi D'you know sorething? | left the dust-cap on! He told me of hie talks with the Brothers. “D'you know, Ronald, when you'rs with them, you don't ASK questions. You don’t think of it. You just listen, ft's as Hf you are not meani to ask of things maybe they don’t want you fo know.” Fred bit his Jip thoughfully. “One of them | can ses several times a week. | know where he's working. i can fell you whal sort of work he dows, but not where.” Fred told me. "it's anly once in a while we have = chance to talk. Maybe over 6 cup of colfee some place.” Hae pavasd, than wart on. "This one's fiom Venus.” Fred's trip over had been delayed. Hana and t had had te change our bookings. Fred had told ma on the trip up from the airport how. someone, = he didn’t kaow who ~ had contacted the bank where Fred hed arranged credit for the arip. "Sl have to do it on the ingialmanis,” he gook doesn't earn all thal much mosey.” Fred works at an hotel in Virginia, naar where he lives. The strange thing was thet Fred had previously had. credit arrangements with the same bank, and had had no bother. Maybe someone had tried to stop his teip to Europe. H had taken several days to clear up the matter. He was. speaking first in Antwerp, staying with May for some days, then The Hague, then Frankfurt and Mannheim, then in Austa - Vienna and Linz - then on to West Barlin for the lest six days to stay with his Family. Whather Fred war helnad with money at the Ger- man or Austrian lectures, | don't know. I know he rectived nothing mm Antwerp and Den Haag, scent hospitality from good friends. Thal certainly did not pay the Stecklings fara acroas the Allantic. Fred's first lecture was on the avening of our ar- fal in Antwerp, at May Mortet's home. Of the 50-60 in the audience, which included reporters, | noticed @ young woman. ! shail not describe her, ieier that aight, in fact at 3230 in the moming, - we had sat tating, ai! of May's house-gueste, until the email hours, os we were to do every nigh! of our wisit ~ | walked with Hans Petersen around eome