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long before； when he had met a man just after the Great Disaster； and had turned； and walked away with the feeling that he might be shot in the back。 Yet； after that first memory； he was not afraid； and it was the more humiliating that he was not。 He realized that Charlie would think there was no need of shooting。 He； Ish； had e off second…best。
He was in the depths of bitterness as he walked back toward his own house； He had forgotten how deep humiliation would be。 The hammer was mere weight now； not a symbol of power。 For years things had gone easily； and he had been a leader。 But after all he was not so different from the strange youth that he now could hardly remember。 The youth who had existed in the old days before the Great Disaster； the one who was afraid to go to dances； the one who was never quite at ease with other people； and had never been a leader。 He had changed much； he had outgrown much； but he could not outgrow it all。
Then as he came； deep in bitterness； through the door of the old house； Em was there waiting for him。 He laid down the hammer。 He took her into his arms； or perhaps she took him into hers； he was not sure。 But after that he felt suddenly a new confidence。 Sometimes she did not agree with him。 They had argued just the night before about Charlie； but in the end he knew that he would renew his confidence from her。
They sat on the davenport； and he poured out the story。 He did not wait to hear what she thought； but he felt her sympathy flow out and enfold him。 He felt the raw edge of his humiliation healing over。 She spoke at last：
〃You shouldn't have done it！ You should have had the boys to back you。 He might have shot you right there。 You're strong at thinking and knowing things； not in meeting a man like that。〃
Then it was she was began to take the next action。
〃Go get Ezra and George and the boys；〃 she said。 〃No； I'll send one of the children。 No one can move in on us like this； and say what he and we are going to do！〃
Yes； Ish realized； he had been wrong。 There had been no need to feel again the Great Loneliness。 Small and weak though it might be； there was still the strength of The Tribe to rally warmly about him。
George was the first to e； and after him； Ezra。 Ish caught the movement as Ezra's quick eyes shifted from George to Em and back again。 〃He has something；〃 Ish thought； 〃he wants to say to me alone。〃 But Ezra made no attempt to gain the opportunity。 Instead he ended by looking at Em in a half…embarrassed manner。
〃Molly's had to lock Evie up in one of the upstairs rooms；〃 he said。 Ish could tell what a hard matter it was for Ezra； a highly polite and civilized person； to have to speak in public thus about the burst of passion that had suddenly e upon a half…witted girl at a man's caresses。
〃What's to keep her from jumping out the window anyway？〃 said Ish。
〃Nothing； I guess；〃 said Ezra。
〃I could fix up some bars；〃 said George； eagerly。 〃We could put something across the window； all right。〃
They all laughed a little in spite of the seriousness。 George was always so happy to do a little more carpentry somewhere on the houses。 But it was obviously impossible to keep Evie locked up for the rest of her life。
Just then Jack and Roger； Ish's own sons； came in； after them； Ralph； who was the last of that trio。
At the boys' ing； there was a little relaxing； and people began to sit down and make themselves fortable。 In a moment； Ish knew they would all expect him to begin to say something and he felt again that this was all happening too rapidly。 What he was actually facing was almost like the organization of a new state。 And yet； they could not sit down quietly and start out by writing a constitution with a good old…fashioned preamble。 No； a particular and troublesome situation faced them； and they must act in the face of it。
He put the question sharply： 〃What are we going to do about Evie and this Charlie？〃
There was a babble of talk； and almost immediately Ish had the chilly feeling that of all the men； only Ezra was solidly with him。 The boys； even George； seemed to think that Charlie might bring a new force from the outside to enliven and enrich the life of The Tribe。 If he liked Evie； so much the better。 They had enough loyalty to Ish to insist that Charlie must apologize for what had happened this morning。 But it was evident also； Ish felt； that they all considered him to have acted precipitously…he should have talked with the rest of them before confronting Charlie。
Ish brought up the argument that they could not afford to let Evie start a line of half…witted children。 But his words made less impression than he had thought they would。 Evie had always been a part of the boys' life； and the thought that there would be others around of the same kind made little impression upon them。 They could not think far enough ahead to conceive that the descendants of Evie would necessarily mingle with the rest of the group and bring the whole level down。
Then curiously enough； George's slow mind brought forth an even sounder argument。 〃How do we know；〃 he said； 〃that she really is half…witted anyway？ Maybe it was just all that trouble she had when she was a little girl when everybody died and left her all alone to take care of herself。 That would put anybody crazy。 Maybe she's just as bright as any of us really； and so her children will be all right。〃
Though Ish could not imagine Evie's ever having normal children； still there might be something to the argument； and he saw that it impressed the others； except Ezra。 In fact； there was almost a feeling that Charlie was a benefactor to the munity； and was going to bring Evie into it again as a normal Part。 And just then Ish noticed that Ezra was really wanting to say something。
Ezra stood up。 That was unusual of him； too； being so formal。 And it was also unusual that he seemed to be embarrassed。 His florid face was even redder than usual； and he glanced back and forth； particularly at Em； it seemed； in an uncertain manner。
〃I've got to say something more；〃 he said。 〃I talked with that fellow； Charlie； last night after we went home； quite a while。 He'd been drinking a lot； you know…talked pretty freely。〃 He paused； and Ish noticed again his half…embarrassed glance toward Em。 〃He boasted； kind of； you know。〃 And now Ezra glanced toward the boys； as if realizing that they； poor half…savages； would not know really what a civilized man was discussing。 〃He told me quite a bit about himself； which was what I was after。〃
Again he paused； and Ish could not remember Ezra ever having been like this before。 〃e on； Ezra；〃 he said。 〃Tell us。 This is just us。〃
Suddenly the bonds of Ezra's reticence broke。 〃This guy； Charlie！〃 he burst out。 〃He's rotten inside as a ten…day fish。 Diseases； Cupid's diseases； I mean。 Hell； he's got all of them there are！〃
Ish saw the news visibly shake George's big body as if it had been a jolting blow on the chest。 He saw the flush spread over Em's creamy…colored face。 To the boys the news was nothing。 They did not know what Ezra was talking about。
Ezra would not even try to explain to the boys until Em had left the room； and then he had difficulties because the whole conception of disease was very hazy to the boys。
As Ezra tried his explanation； Ish sat feeling his thoughts run by him fast。 This was something for which neither the old life nor the new life held precedent。 He knew vaguely that lepers had been restrained by law； and he remembered stories of leper colonies。 A typhoid…fever carrier might； he thought； be legally kept from working in a restaurant。 But what use was it to remember such precedents anyway？ Now there was no law of the land。
〃Let the boys go；〃 he said suddenly to Ezra。 〃This is for us to talk over and decide on。〃 The boys； he realized suddenly； were disqualified in two ways…they did not know the dangers of disease to a munity； and they did not know the force which any society was privileged to exert in its own defense。
The boys filed out； in spite of their years and inches and paternity； seeming mere children again。 〃Keep quiet about this；〃 Ezra told them。
The three older men turned to each other again after the younger ones had gone。
〃Let's get Em back in；〃 said Ezra。 She joined them； and then there were four。
They stood for a minute in silence as if under the actual threat of danger。 There was a feeling of death in the air； not of clean death in the open； but of a mean and defiling death。
〃Well； what about it？〃 said Ish； knowing that he must take the lead again。
Once the silence was broken； they discussed the situation fully。 They were agreed； first of all； that The Tribe had the right to protect itself and must do so。 They would look for no more law or precedent than the primary one of self…defense； which could be applied to a munity； as well as to a person。
Granted the right； however； and the necessity； what could be the means？ Mere warning； 〃Do this or else！〃 they all agreed； would probably be useless and would certainly offer no sure protection。 Once the thing was done； the punishment which they could mete out to Ch