Атлант расправил плечи

           "Heglanceddownatthefootoftheledgeandadded,pointing,"There’stheownerofthisplace,comingnow."

           Acarhadstoppedattheendofadirtroadbelow,andtwomenwerehurryingupthetrail.Shecouldnotdistinguishtheirfaces;oneofthemwasslenderandtall,theothershorter,moremuscular.Shelostsightofthembehindthetwistsofthetrail,ashewentoncarryingherdowntomeetthem.

           Shemetthemwhentheyemergedsuddenlyfrombehindarockycornerafewfeetaway.Thesightoftheirfaceshitherwiththeabruptnessofacollision.

           "Well,I’llbegoddamned!"saidthemuscularman,whomshedidnotknow,staringather.

           Shewasstaringatthetall,distinguishedfigureofhiscompanion:itwasHughAkston.

           ItwasHughAkstonwhospokefirst,bowingtoherwithacourteoussmileofwelcome."MissTaggart,thisisthefirsttimeanyonehaseverprovedmewrong,Ididn’tknow—whenItoldyouyou’dneverfindhim—thatthenexttimeIsawyou,youwouldbeinhisarms."

           "Inwhosearms?"

           "Why,theinventorofthemotor."

           Shegasped,closinghereyes;thiswasoneconnectionsheknewsheshouldhavemade.Whensheopenedhereyes,shewaslookingatGalt.Hewassmiling,faintly,derisively,asifheknewfullywhatthismeanttoher.