Атлант расправил плечи

           Theconductorshookhishead."Yourbrother—hewouldn’thavetakenacoach." 

           Shelaughed."No,hewouldn’thave." 

           Themenbytheenginewatchedherwalkingaway.Theyoungbrakemanwasamongthem.Heasked,pointingafterher,"Whoisthat?" 

           "That’swhorunsTaggartTranscontinental,"saidtheengineer;therespectinhisvoicewasgenuine."That’stheVice-PresidentinChargeofOperation." 

           Whenthetrainjoltedforward,theblastofitswhistledyingoverthefields,shesatbythewindow,lightinganothercigarette.Shethought: It’scrackingtopieces,likethis,alloverthecountry,youcanexpectitanywhere,atanymoment. Butshefeltnoangeroranxiety;shehadnotimetofeel. 

           Thiswouldbejustonemoreissue,tobesettledalongwiththeothers. SheknewthatthesuperintendentoftheOhioDivisionwasnogoodandthathewasafriendofJamesTaggart. Shehadnotinsistedonthrowinghimoutlongagoonlybecauseshehadnobettermantoputinhisplace. Goodmenweresostrangelyhardtofind. Butshewouldhavetogetridofhim,shethought,andshewouldgivehisposttoOwenKellogg,theyoungengineerwhowasdoingabrilliantjobasoneoftheassistantstothemanageroftheTaggartTerminalinNewYork;itwasOwenKelloggwhorantheTerminal. Shehadwatchedhisworkforsometime;shehadalwayslookedforsparksofcompetence,likeadiamondprospectorinanunpromisingwasteland.