Chapter 4

           Andyet,afterall,itwasfromnostepofMr.Ward’sorDr.Willett’sthatthenextmoveinthissingularcaseproceeded.Thefatherandthephysician,rebuffedandconfusedbyashadowtooshapelessandintangibletocombat,hadresteduneasilyontheiroarswhilethetypednotesofyoungWardtohisparentsgrewfewerandfewer.Thencamethefirstofthemonthwithitscustomaryfinancialadjustments,andtheclerksatcertainbanksbeganapeculiarshakingofheadsandtelephoningfromonetotheother.OfficialswhoknewCharlesWardbysightwentdowntothebungalowtoaskwhyeverychequeofhisappearingatthisjuncturewasaclumsyforgery,andwerereassuredlessthantheyoughttohavebeenwhentheyouthhoarselyexplainedthathehandhadlatelybeensomuchaffectedbyanervousshockastomakenormalwritingimpossible.Hecould,hesaid,fromnowrittencharactersatallexceptwithgreatdifficulty;andcouldproveitbythefactthathehadbeenforcedtotypeallhisrecentletters,eventhosetohisfatherandmother,whowouldbearouttheassertion.

           Whatmadetheinvestigatorspauseinconfusionwasnotthiscircumstancealone,forthatwasnothingunprecedentedorfundamentallysuspicious,noreventhePawtuxetgossip,ofwhichoneortwoofthemhadcaughtechoes.Itwasthemuddleddiscourseoftheyoungmanwhichnonplussedthem,implyingasitdidavirtuallytotallossofmemoryconcerningimportantmonetarymatterswhichhehadhadathisfingertipsonlyamonthortwobefore.