Put it down!"
He walked grimly toward Johnny Simms. Johnny was near the open airlock
door. The outer door was open, too. He could not retreat. He edged
sidewise. Cochrane changed the direction of his advance. There are
people like Johnny Simms everywhere. As a rule they are not classed as
unable to tell right from wrong unless they are rich enough to hire a
psychiatrist. Yet a variable but always-present percentage of the human
race ignores rules of conduct at all times. They are the handicap, the
burden, the main hindrance to the maintenance or the progress of
civilization. They are not consciously evil. They simply do not bother
to act otherwise than as rational animals. The rest of humanity has to
defend itself with police, with laws, and sometimes with revolts, though
those like Johnny Simms have no motive beyond the indulgence of
immediate inclinations. But for that indulgence Johnny would risk any
injury to anybody else.
He edged further aside. Cochrane was white with disgusted fury. Johnny
Simms went into panic. He raised his weapon, aiming at Cochrane.
"Keep back!" he cried ferociously. "I don't care if I kill you!"
And he did not.
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