Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
"TheTerminal,"shesaidquietly,closingthefile."PhonetheTerminaldownstairsandhavethemshiphalftheirstockofwiretoMinnesota."Eddiesaidnothingandobeyed.
Hesaidnothing,themorningwhenheputonherdeskatelegramfromtheTaggartofficeinWashington,informingthemofthedirectivewhich,duetothecriticalshortageofcopper,orderedgovernmentagentstoseizeallcopperminesandoperatethemasapublicutility.
"Well,"shesaid,droppingthetelegramintothewastebasket,"that’stheendofMontana."
ShesaidnothingwhenJamesTaggartannouncedtoherthathewasissuinganordertodiscontinuealldiningcarsonTaggarttrains."Wecan’tafforditanylonger,"heexplained,"we’vealwayslostmoneyonthosegoddamndiners,andwhenthere’snofoodtoget,whenrestaurantsareclosingbecausetheycan’tgrabholdofapoundofhorsemeatanywhere,howcanrailroadsbeexpectedtodoit?Whyinhellshouldwehavetofeedthepassengers,anyway?They’reluckyifwegivethemtransportation,they’dtravelincattlecarsifnecessary,let’empacktheirownboxlunches,whatdowecare?—they’vegotnoothertrainstotake!"
Thetelephoneonherdeskhadbecome,notavoiceofbusiness,butanalarmsirenforthedesperateappealsofdisaster.
