ard you cussing out and defaming one of the finest types of
Republican congressmen, just this noon! And you have entirely the wrong
idea about 'thinking over joining.' We're not begging you to join the
G.C.L.--we're permitting you to join. I'm not sure, my boy, but what
if you put it off it'll be too late. I'm not sure we'll want you then.
Better think quick--better think quick!"

The three Vigilantes, formidable in their righteousness, stared at him
in a taut silence. Babbitt waited through. He thought nothing at all,
he merely waited, while in his echoing head buzzed, "I don't want to
join--I don't want to join--I don't want to."

"All right. Sorry for you!" said Colonel Snow, and the three men
abruptly turned their beefy backs.

IV

As Babbitt went out to his car that evening he saw Vergil Gunch coming
down the block. He raised his hand in salutation, but Gunch ignored it
and crossed the street. He was certain that Gunch had seen him. He drove
home in sharp discomfort.

His wife attacked at once: "Georgie dear, Muriel Frink was in this
afternoon, and she says that Chum says the committee of this Good
Citizens' League especially asked you to join and you wouldn't. Don't
you think it would be better? You know all the nicest people belong, and
the League stands for--"

"I know what the League stands for! It stands for the suppression of
free speech and free thought and everything else! I don't propose to
be bullied and rushed into joining anything, and it isn't a question of
whether it's a good league or a bad league or what the hell kind of a
league it is; it's just a question of my refusing to be told I got to--"

"But dear, if you don't join, people might criticize you."

"Let 'em criticize!"

"But I mean NICE people!"

"Rats, I--Matter of fact, this whole League is just a fad. It's like
all these other organizations that start off with such a rush and let on
they're going to change the whole works, and pretty soon they peter out
and everybody forgets all about 'em!"

"But if it's THE fad now, don't you think you--"

"No, I don't! Oh, Myra, please quit nagging me about it. I'm sick of
hearing about the confounded G.C.L. I almost wish I'd joined it when
Verg first came around, and got it over. And maybe I'd 've come in
to-day if the committee hadn't tried to bullyrag me, but, by God, as
long as I'm a free-born independent American cit--"

"Now, George, you're talking exactly like the German furnace-m