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           NoamountoflearnedsophistrycouldcontrovertthefactthatthestrangelybeardedandspectacledDr.Allen,ofwhomCharles’sfranticletterhadspokenassuchamonstrousmenace,wasincloseandsinistercorrespondencewithtwoinexplicablecreatureswhomWardhadvisitedinhistravelsandwhoplainlyclaimedtobesurvivalsoravatarsofCurwen’soldSalemcolleagues;thathewasregardinghimselfasthereincarnationofJosephCurwen,andthatheentertained—orwasatleastadvisedtoentertain—murderousdesignsagainsta"boy"whocouldscarcelybeotherthanCharlesWard.Therewasorganizedhorrorafoot;andnomatterwhohadstartedit,themissingAllenwasbythistimeatthebottomofit.Therefore,thankingheaventhatCharleswasnowsafeinthehospital,Mr.Wardlostnotimeinengagingdetectivestolearnalltheycouldofthecryptic,beardeddoctor;findingwhencehehadcomeandwhatPawtuxetknewofhim,andifpossiblediscoveringhispresentwhereabouts.SupplyingthemenwithoneofthebungalowkeyswhichCharlesyieldedup,heurgedthemtoexploreAllen’svacantroomwhichhadbeenidentifiedwhenthepatient’sbelongingshadbeenpacked;obtainingwhatcluestheycouldfromanyeffectshemighthaveleftabout.Mr.Wardtalkedwiththedetectivesinhisson’soldlibrary,andtheyfeltamarkedreliefwhentheyleftitatlast;forthereseemedtohoverabouttheplaceavagueauraofevil