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           Theformerstillprovedunyielding;butofthelatterheobtainedsomuch,andsomanycluestosimilardataelsewhere,thathewasreadybyJulytomakeatriptoNewLondonandNewYorktoconsultoldletterswhosepresenceinthoseplaceswasindicated.Thistripwasveryfruitful,foritbroughthimtheFennerletterswiththeirterribledescriptionofthePawtuxetfarmhouseraid,andtheNightingale-TalbotlettersinwhichhelearnedoftheportraitpaintedonapaneloftheCurwenlibrary.Thismatteroftheportraitinterestedhimparticularly,sincehewouldhavegivenmuchtoknowjustwhatJosephCurwenlookedlike;andhedecidedtomakeasecondsearchofthehouseinOlneyCourttoseeiftheremightnotbesometraceoftheancientfeaturesbeneathpeelingcoatsoflaterpaintorlayersofmouldywall-paper.

           EarlyinAugustthatsearchtookplace,andWardwentcarefullyoverthewallsofeveryroomsizeableenoughtohavebeenbyanypossibilitythelibraryoftheevilbuilder.Hepaidespecialattentiontothelargepanelsofsuchovermantelsasstillremained;andwaskeenlyexcitedafteraboutanhour,whenonabroadareaabovethefireplaceinaspaciousground-floorroomhebecamecertainthatthesurfacebroughtoutbythepeelingofseveralcoatsofpaintwassensiblydarkerthananyordinaryinteriorpaintorthewoodbeneathitwaslikelytohavebeen.Afewmorecarefultestswithathinknife,andheknewthathehadcomeuponanoilportraitofgreatextent.