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           Themostindividualfeatureaboutthepowderswastheirnon-adhesiveness.Willettwouldpouroneintohishand,anduponreturningittoitsjugwouldfindthatnoresiduewhateverremainedonhispalm.

           Themeaningofthetwosignspuzzledhim,andhewonderedwhythisbatteryofchemicalswasseparatedsoradicallyfromthoseinglassjarsontheshelvesofthelaboratoryproper."Custodes","Materia";thatwastheLatinfor"Guards"and"Materials",respectively—andthentherecameaflashofmemoryastowherehehadseenthatword"Guards"beforeinconnectionwiththisdreadfulmystery.Itwas,ofcourse,intherecentlettertoDr.AllenpurportingtobefromoldEdwinHutchinson;andthephrasehadread:’TherewasnoNeedetokeeptheGuardsinShapeandeat’gofftheirHeads,anditmadeMuchtobefoundeinCaseofTrouble,asyoutoowelleknowe.’Whatdidthissignify?Butwait—wastherenotstillanotherreferenceto"guards"inthismatterwhichhehadfailedwhollytorecallwhenreadingtheHutchinsonletter?Backintheoldnon-secretivedaysWardhadtoldhimoftheEleazarSmithdiaryrecordingthespyingofSmithandWeedenontheCurwenfarm,andinthatdreadfulchronicletherehadbeenamentionofconversationsoverheardbeforetheoldwizardbetookhimselfwhollybeneaththeearth.Therehadbeen,SmithandWeedeninsisted,terriblecolloquieswhereinfiguredCurwen,certaincaptivesofhis,andtheguardsofthosecaptives.Thoseguards,accordingtoHutchinsonorhisavatar,had"eatentheirheadsoff",sothatnowDr.