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“Congratulations”

“Billy brought Dave Davidson, his number one assistant, to operate the second camera So I have the two best operators in the business And to top it all off — do you remember Franklin Mowery?”

“The old bridge builder Of course He worked for Lillian’s father”

“Franklin retired out here I invited hi pictures to answerencyclopedia of railroad history, having been there for most of it Fabulous stories And here’s the best part: Dave Davidson has a portrait painter’s eye; he took one look at Franklin’s granite profile and, without saying a word, just started cranking the ca Later he showed me twenty feet of Franklin Mowery The ca him in the picture— Oh, Isaac, I’m so excited!”

“Indeed,” said Bell, wondering, How can I ask her to leave this job on a suspicion?

“Don’t worry,” she said, “I warned Franklin Mowery that you are working in disguise and not to reveal that you’re a Van Dorn”

“It probably doesn’t matter by now”

“Is that what happened to your foot?”

“My ankle got off easy compared to my motorcycle,” said Bell, and told her what had happened Then he laid out the strands of the Talking Pictures investigation one by one, fro inside I failed to kill you,” asked Marion, “what do you suppose he’ll try next?”

Isaac Bell looked his beautiful wife in the eye “You tell me”

“I knohat you’re thinking, Isaac You’re worried that I’ pictures for the same co second thoughts”

“I couldn’t put it betteris amiss at Imperial”

“But I can’t believe that Irina would be part of anything that would hurt me Besides, you don’t know that Imperial isn’t on the up-and-up”

“Imperial’s finances are deeply suspect”

“Everyone’s business finances inpictures are deeply suspect It’s a brand-new business Nobody knohat’s really going on We’re allThat’s why the bankers lend money for only one picture at a time”