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           ’seemedtobe),hewouldcoveritwithsomeconvenientpaperuntilhiscallerhaddeparted.Atnighthekeptthepapersunderlockandkeyinanantiquecabinetofhis,wherehealsoplacedthemwheneverhelefttheroom.Hesoonresumedfairlyregularhoursandhabits,exceptthathislongwalksandotheroutsideinterestsseemedtocease.Theopeningofschool,wherehenowbeganhissenioryear,seemedagreatboretohim;andhefrequentlyassertedhisdeterminationnevertobotherwithcollege.Hehad,hesaid,importantspecialinvestigationstomake,whichwouldprovidehimwithmoreavenuestowardknowledgeandthehumanitiesthananyuniversitywhichtheworldcouldboast.

           Naturally,onlyonewhohadalwaysbeenmoreorlessstudious,eccentric,andsolitarycouldhavepursuedthiscourseformanydayswithoutattractingnotice.Ward,however,wasconstitutionallyascholarandahermit;hencehisparentswerelesssurprisedthanregretfulatthecloseconfinementandsecrecyheadopted.Atthesametime,bothhisfatherandmotherthoughtitoddthathewouldshowthemnoscrapofhistreasure-trove,norgiveanyconnectedaccountofsuchdataashehaddeciphered.Thisreticenceheexplainedawayasduetoawishtowaituntilhemightannouncesomeconnectedrevelation,butastheweekspassedwithoutfurtherdisclosurestherebegantogrowupbetweentheyouthandhisfamilyakindofconstraint;intensifiedinhismother’scasebyhermanifestdisapprovalofallCurwendelvings.