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A trim New York Police launch with a low cabin and a short stack was approaching Joseph Van Dorn stood on the foredeck in a topcoat with a newspaper tucked under his arm

Bell walked directly to him

“It is tination”

27

“REQUEST DENIED!” VAN DORN SHOT BACK

“It is not a request, sir,” Isaac Bell said coldly “It is my intention I will hunt the Wrecker on my own, if it takes the rest of my life While I proation led by a better-qualified investigator”

A small smile parted Van Dorn’s red whiskers “Better-qualified? Perhaps you’ve been too b

usy to read thepapers”

He seized Bell’s hand and practically crushed it in his powerful grip “We’ve won a round at last, Isaac Well done!”

“Won a round? What are you talking about, sir? People killed on the ferry Half the s in Manhattan blown out These piers a shae of a Southern Pacific Railroad vessel that I was hired to protect”

“A partial victory, I’ll admit But a victory nonetheless You stopped the Wrecker froet He would have killed hundreds had you allowed him to Look here” Van Dorn opened the newspaper Three headlines of ie

EXPLOSION DAMAGE EQUAL OF MAY 1904 PIER FIRE

WORSE Loss OF LIFE ON FERRY, 3 DEAD,

COUNTLESS INJURED

COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE,