The same evening, Francisco comes to Dagny’s apartment in one last effort to convince her to quit the railroad. But Dagny responds that if Taggart Transcontinental is to perish with the looters’ system, then she will perish with it. Rearden enters and is furious to see Francisco, whom he believes is guilty of the worst kind of betrayal. Francisco is stunned to find that the woman he loves is sleeping with Rearden. When Rearden realizes that Dagny is the woman Francisco loves, he slaps him. Francisco, calling on the greatest self-control possible, refrains from retaliating. He departs.
Dagny receives a letter from Quentin Daniels informing her that he is resigning. He still wants to solve the secret of the motor, so he will continue to work on rebuilding it privately. But if he succeeds, he will not release the motor for commercial purposes in the looters’ world, so he will not accept her money any longer. Dagny, desperate to reach Quentin before the destroyer does, calls him and makes him promise to wait for her. She will take the Comet west to examine the track in Colorado and to speak with Daniels in Utah.
Eddie Willers, in Dagny’s apartment taking notes before her departure, observes Rearden’s dressing gown in her closet and realizes that they are lovers. Eddie is shaken. After seeing her off, he eats dinner with the worker in the Taggart cafeteria. He remarks to the worker that his face looks as though he’s never known pain or fear or guilt. Eddie tells him that Daniels has worked on the motor for a year and that Dagny is going to Utah to prevent the destroyer from getting him. Eddie also reveals that Dagny is Rearden’s lover, and the worker rushes away.
