Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 7
AvacantpartoftheWardlotshowedsignsofalittlesuperficialdigging,butnothingevennearlythesizeofagravehadbeenattempted,andnopreviousgravehadbeendisturbed.
Hart,whocannotdescribetheprowlerexceptasasmallmanprobablyhavingafullbeard,inclinestotheviewthatallthreeofthediggingincidentshaveacommonsource;butpolicefromtheSecondStationthinkotherwiseonaccountofthesavagenatureofthesecondincident,whereanancientcoffinwasremovedanditsheadstoneviolentlyshattered.
Thefirstoftheincidents,inwhichitisthoughtanattempttoburysomethingwasfrustrated,occurredayearagolastMarch,andhasbeenattributedtobootleggersseekingacache.Itispossible,saysSergt.Riley,thatthisthirdaffairisofsimilarnature.OfficersattheSecondStationaretakingespecialpainstocapturethegangofmiscreantsresponsiblefortheserepeatedoutrages.
AlldayThursdayDr.Willettrestedasifrecuperatingfromsomethingpastornervinghimselfforsomethingtocome.IntheeveninghewroteanotetoMr.Ward,whichwasdeliveredthenextmorningandwhichcausedthehalf-dazedparenttoponderlonganddeeply.Mr.WardhadnotbeenabletogodowntobusinesssincetheshockofMondaywithitsbafflingreportsanditssinister"purgation",buthefoundsomethingcalmingaboutthedoctor’sletterinspiteofthedespairitseemedtopromiseandthefreshmysteriesitseemedtoevoke.
10BarnesSt.,Providence,R.I.
April12,1928.
