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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
28
"I
didn't
come
here
for
that,"
Barrent
said.
"I
want
to
find
out
about
my
rights
and
obligations,
of
course.
But
right
now,
I
want
to
find
that
girl."
"Girl?"
"She
was
sitting
on
the
bench
when
I
came
in.
She
was
the
one
who
gave
me
the
gun."
Mr.
Frendlyer
looked
astonished.
"Citizen,
you
must
be
laboring
under
a
misapprehension.
There
has
been
no
woman
in
this
office
all
day."
"She
was
sitting
on
the
bench
near
those
three
men.
A
very
attractive
dark-haired
girl.
You
must
have
noticed
her."
"I
would
certainly
have
noticed
her
if
she
had
been
here,"
Frendlyer
said,
winking.
"But
as
I
said
before,
no
woman
has
entered
these
premises
today."
Barrent
glared
at
him
and
pulled
the
gun
out
of
his
pocket.
"In
that
case,
how
did
I
get
this?"
"I
lent
it
to
you,"
Frendlyer
said.
"I'm
glad
you
were
able
to
use
it
successfully,
but
now
I
would
appreciate
its
return."
"You're
lying,"
Barrent
said,
taking
a
firm
grip
on
the
weapon.
"Let's
ask
those
men."
He
walked
over
to
the
bench
with
Frendlyer
close
behind
him.
He
caught
the
attention
of
the
man
who
had
been
sitting
nearest
the
girl
and
asked
him,
"Where
did
the
girl
go?"
The
man
lifted
a
sullen,
unshaven
face
and
said,
"What
girl
you
talking
about,
Citizen?"
"The
one
who
was
sitting
right
here."
"I
didn't
notice
nobody.
Rafeel,
you
see
a
female
on
this
bench?"
"Not
me,"
Rafeel
said.
"And
I
been
sitting
here
continuous
since
ten
this
morning."
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