Атлант расправил плечи

           Dan,"shesaidsuddenly,"Ihopeyouknowit’snotforyoursakethatIwantedtohelpyoufight."

           Hesmiled;itwasafaint,friendlysmile."Iknow,"hesaid.

           "It’snotoutofpityorcharityoranyuglyreasonlikethat.Look,Iintendedtogiveyouthebattleofyourlife,downthereinColorado.Iintendedtocutintoyourbusinessandsqueezeyoutothewallanddriveyouout,ifnecessary."

           Hechuckledfaintly;itwasappreciation."Youwouldhavemadeaprettygoodtryatit,too,"hesaid.

           "OnlyIdidn’tthinkitwouldbenecessary.Ithoughttherewasenoughroomthereforbothofus."

           "Yes,"hesaid."Therewas."

           "Still,ifIfoundthattherewasn‘t,Iwouldhavefoughtyou,andifIcouldmakemyroadbetterthanyours,I’dhavebrokenyouandnotgivenadamnaboutwhathappenedtoyou.Butthis...Dan,Idon’tthinkIwanttolookatourRioNorteLinenow.I...OhGod,Dan,Idon’twanttobealooter!"

           Helookedathersilentlyforamoment.Itwasanoddlook,asiffromagreatdistance.Hesaidsoftly,"Youshouldhavebeenbornaboutahundredyearsearlier,kid.Thenyouwouldhavehadachance."

           "Tohellwiththat.Iintendtomakemyownchance."

           "That’swhatIintendedatyourage."

           "Yousucceeded."

           "HaveI?"

           Shesatstill,suddenlyunabletomove.

           Hesatupstraightandsaidsharply,almostasifhewereissuingorders,"You’dbetterlookatthatRioNorteLineofyours,andyou’dbetterdoitfast.