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Thousands of listeners took John Galt's advice. They could not contact him, so they could not come to Mulligan's Valley. But many of them set up their own versions of Mulligan's Valley, chiefly armed camps in various forests and other "wilderness" regions.

Thousands of listeners took John Galt's advice. They could not contact him, so they could not come to Mulligan's Valley. But many of them set up their own versions of Mulligan's Valley, chiefly armed camps in various forests and other "wilderness" regions.

John Galt now made his almost-fatal mistake. He could have stayed in Mulligan's Valley and relied on Francisco, or Ragnar, or both to watch for signs that Dagny was ready to quit, and bring her to him. But he had promised Dagny that all she need do was draw a dollar sign in chalk on the plinth of Nathaniel Taggart's statue in the Terminal, and he would come for her that evening. True to his promise, he returned to New York City and stayed long enough for Dagny Taggart to come to him. But, unknown to her, she had the [[FBI]] on her tail, and in consequence, John Galt was arrested, as he knew he would be.

John Galt now made his almost-fatal mistake. He could have stayed in Mulligan's Valley and relied on Francisco, or Ragnar, or both to watch for signs that Dagny was ready to quit, and bring her to him. But he had promised Dagny that all she need do was draw a dollar sign in chalk on the plinth of Nathaniel Taggart's statue in the Terminal, and he would come for her that evening. True to his promise, he returned to New York City and stayed long enough for Dagny Taggart to come to him. (Whether he retrofitted Hank Rearden's aircraft with an electrostatic powerplant, the novel does not make clear. Possibly he did. With his skill as a mechanic, he certainly could have, and Rearden definitely had the money for it, thanks to Ragnar Danneskjold's privateering activities on his, and many other people's, behalf. Such a retrofit would have been instrumental in saving Galt's life, later on.)

 

 

At last, Dagny Taggart did come to him. But, unknown to her, she had the [[FBI]] on her tail, and in consequence, John Galt was arrested, as he knew he would be.

The authorities could not charge him with anything. Instead, President [[Mr. Thompson|Thompson]] tried to urge him to take the post of "Economic Dictator" of the country, a suggestion that Galt found laughable. To illustrate the absurdity of the proposition, Galt said that his first order would be to abolish all income taxes and fire all government employees. Naturally, Thompson rejected those proposals.

The authorities could not charge him with anything. Instead, President [[Mr. Thompson|Thompson]] tried to urge him to take the post of "Economic Dictator" of the country, a suggestion that Galt found laughable. To illustrate the absurdity of the proposition, Galt said that his first order would be to abolish all income taxes and fire all government employees. Naturally, Thompson rejected those proposals.

Not long afterward, Francisco d'Anconia, Dagny Taggart, Henry Rearden, and Ragnar Danneskjold staged a commando raid on the laboratory, killed several security guards, and rescued John Galt. As their escape plane overflew the Eastern seaboard, the entire ground fell dark in an instant. The collapse of the world system was now complete.

Not long afterward, Francisco d'Anconia, Dagny Taggart, Henry Rearden, and Ragnar Danneskjold staged a commando raid on the laboratory, killed several security guards, and rescued John Galt. As their escape plane overflew the Eastern seaboard, the entire ground fell dark in an instant. The collapse of the world system was now complete.

Galt returned to Mulligan's Valley and spent his first winter there. In the next spring, John Galt would declare that the world couldn't threaten them anymore, and it was time to come back.

Galt returned to Mulligan's Valley and finished out the winter there. He married Dagny, with Judge Narragansett presiding. He watched with pride as she built the narrow-gauge railroad for Francisco, and even accepted an order to build the world's first electrostatic locomotive for it.

 

In the next spring, John Galt would declare that the world couldn't threaten them anymore, and it was time to come back.

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