The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-06-20
CHAPTER XVIII

It was bitter, but it was better, to De travelling alone
 Now there was the way of the country, Joe found, the first way; md the way of the cities, the sec- ond way; and there was in addi- tion still third way, dire and desperate way that you were loath to come to only because the iron was out of you any more, the primordial way of all life: violence and individual expropria- tion.
 There came a time, in a small and better nameless town in a western state, when Joe Murray fell in with three who had blown into town in a wreck of an old car which had no virtue left but mobility. Even so, there is self Sufficiency about a car, for car implies gasoline and oil, and they betoken funds. Where would a man get funds? They gave him some idea, sizing him up for a tough one if so minded to be, while the four of them rustled the mulligan in a jungle on the edge of the town. They were all young, younger than Joe even but hard, with the adamantine polish that comes only from the burnishing of adversity on vicious ness inborn.
 "We're on the country" said the redhead, who seemed to be the leader of the trio. Only a sap goes broke. They're stalking the charities. ain't they? Stalking the government, stalking the churches, stalking everything to what it takes, and plenty of that. Well, I need what it takes, and they're stalking me. Only I don't wait for them to bring it; I go out and get it, and if deprive them of the rosy feeling of giving some- thing to the poor, that's their tough luck. If they didn't have it, I'd leave them alone. They got it, I want it, and that's their hard luck"
 "Well," said Joe, "how about some poor sucker needing what it takes himself and you take it away from him?"
 They all laughed. Don't be a dope Listen mug, you think people work for things and earn them and then own them, don't you? Well, how about all the saps that thought they owned all this cce1ntrv orJ noboIu hut tla,, co2ld say word about what they owned? Who owns most of it now? Not the saps; they've lost it! How? Read the papers. Who owns 1t? Banks, other saps, money owns it. It's system. If you take guy, you don't rob a guy-you tap system
 Joe drowned, studying the the ory.
 Look here, boy" said the red head, who was enjoying a philoso- phic excursion which, however valid was in no way necessary to his own justification. How many tills liable to be tapped, how many cribs liable to be cracked in this country fail to carry insurance? When you come up against a sap and take his money, who loses? Not the sap. The system The system de- clares a thousand times a day that it wants to take care of the poor and the needy, and I'm all for helping it along"
 loo coiI 'I',,,t ond 1nnkn6 significantly at the tat5ered car, at their dusty cloths none too new. at the pot simln-. ng thinly on the fire.
 The redhead laughed. That was another system, buddy, We're all saps in our way. We were saps for the gees till the bookies 6s,aned up. So we're on the coun- try. making another stake"
 He was curious as to their methods of making a stake. They smiled at his curiosity. No, they touched no banks, or postoffices; they had no racket; they raided no stores or warehouses; they broke into no homes. They pur- sued no ambitions too big for their size. They fitted from town to town, lighting like mosquito, and flying as far afterWard. They played safe and easy and com- fortable.
 Tell you" said Red. speaking out of quick reflection and de- cisjon. You throw in. We can stand the company. We'll set you on your feet"
 What do do?" asked Joe.
 Come along and we'll show you. We've got a cinch cased for tonight. Stick along and you'll see.
 Joe shrugged. They would tell him no more, grinning. He was indifferent. But he went along to see.
 They went at midnight. They drifted through the town. They were furtive, on edge, but sure of themselves. Joe followed. He had one injunction to follow: stick with them, no matter what! He could do