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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
82
When
he
returned
to
his
shop,
he
found
Joe
waiting
for
him.
The
little
credit
thief
had
a
sour
look
on
his
face.
He
said,
"I
saw
your
fancy
gun-work
today.
Very
pretty."
"Thank
you,"
Barrent
said.
"Do
you
think
that
sort
of
thing
will
help
you?
Do
you
think
you
can
just
go
on
breaking
the
law?"
"I'm
getting
away
with
it,"
Barrent
said.
"Sure.
But
how
long
do
you
think
you
can
keep
it
up?"
"As
long
as
I
have
to."
"Not
a
chance,"
Joe
said.
"Nobody
keeps
on
breaking
the
law
and
getting
away
with
it.
Only
suckers
believe
that."
"They'd
better
send
some
good
men
after
me,"
Barrent
said,
reloading
his
needlebeam.
"That's
not
how
it'll
happen,"
Joe
said.
"Believe
me,
Will,
there's
no
counting
the
ways
they
have
of
getting
you.
Once
the
law
decides
to
move,
there'll
be
nothing
you
can
do
to
stop
it.
And
don't
expect
any
help
from
that
girl
friend
of
yours,
either."
"Do
you
know
her?"
Barrent
asked.
"I
know
everybody,"
Joe
said
moodily.
"I've
got
friends
in
the
government.
I
know
that
people
have
had
about
enough
of
you.
Listen
to
me,
Will.
Do
you
want
to
end
up
dead?"
Barrent
shook
his
head.
"Joe,
can
you
visit
Moera?
Do
you
know
how
to
reach
her?"
"Maybe,"
Joe
said.
"What
for?"
"I
want
you
to
tell
her
something,"
Barrent
said.
"I
want
you
to
tell
her
that
I
didn't
commit
the
murder
I
was
accused
of
on
Earth."
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