Willett presented himself at the Ward residence, but found to his annoyance that Charles had not adhered to his determination to remain indoors. The guards were there, but said that the young man seemed to have lost part of his timidity. He had that morning done much apparently frightened arguing and protesting over the telephone, one of the detectives said, replying to some unknown voice with phrases such as “I am very tired and must rest awhile,” “I can’t receive anyone for some time, you’ll have to excuse me,” “Please postpone decisive action till we can arrange some sort of compromise,” or “I am very sorry, but I must take a complete vacation from everything; I’ll talk with you later.” Then, apparently gaining boldness through meditation, he had slipped out so quietly that no one had seen him depart or knew that he had gone until he returned about one o’clock and entered the house without a word. He had gone upstairs, where a bit of his fear must have surged back; for he was heard to cry out in a high terrified fashion upon entering his library, afterward trailing off into a kind of choking gasp.
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