Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
Franciscowasfirsttojoinher,comingfrombehindacornerofthebuilding,thenHankRearden,thenRagnarDanneskjold.Therehadbeenfourguardspostedatintervalsamongthetrees,aroundthebuilding.Theywerenowdisposedof:onewasdead,threewereleftinthebrush,boundandgagged.
ShehandedthekeytoFranciscowithoutaword.Heunlockedthedoorandwentin,alone,leavingthedooropentothewidthofaninch.
Thethreeotherswaitedoutside,bythatopening.
Thehallwaslightedbyasinglenakedbulbstuckinthemiddleoftheceiling.Aguardstoodatthefootofthestairsleadingtothesecondfloor.
"Whoareyou?"hecriedatthesightofFranciscoenteringasifheownedtheplace."Nobody’ssupposedtocomeinheretonight!"
"Idid,"saidFrancisco.
"WhydidRustyletyouin?"
"Hemusthavehadhisreasons."
"Hewasn’tsupposedto!"
"Somebodyhaschangedyoursuppositions."Francisco’seyesweretakingalightninginventoryoftheplace.Asecondguardstoodonthelandingattheturnofthestairs,lookingdownatthemandlistening.
"What’syourbusiness?"
"Copper-mining."
"Huh?Imean,whoareyou?"
"Thename’stoolongtotellyou.I’lltellittoyourchief.
