Fact1: Harrington promises to cancel investigation of Karswell 's involvement in Satanism, Fact2: Dr. John Holden arrives in England to attend convention, Fact3: book offers to show Holden own copy at mansion, Fact4: visit to Hobart 's family are involved in cult, Fact5: Joanna takes Holden to seance at home of Karswell 's mother
Output: In England, Professor Harrington Maurice Denham visits his rival, Dr. Julian Karswell Niall MacGinnis. Harrington promises to cancel an investigation of Karswells involvement in Satanism if Karswell will rescind a threat he has made against Harrington. After learning that a parchment given to Harrington has disintegrated, Karswell ushers Harrington out, promising to do all that he can. As Harrington arrives home relieved, a gigantic demon materializes and dismembers him. Although his body is torn to pieces, officials rule that his death was caused by electrocution. Dr. John Holden Dana Andrews arrives in England to attend a convention at which Harrington had intended to expose Karswells cult. He is informed that the only link between Harringtons death and Karswells cult is an accused murderer, Rand Hobart Brian Wilde, who has fallen into a catatonic stupor. While Harringtons collaborators consider the possibility of supernatural forces, Holden rejects the idea as superstition. Holden meets Karswell at the British Museum Reading Room When a book that Holden requests turns up missing, Karswell offers to show Holden his own copy at his mansion. At Harringtons funeral, Holden meets the dead mans niece, Joanna Peggy Cummins, who gives him Harringtons diary. It reveals Harringtons increasing fear of Karswells power. Holden remains sceptical, but goes with Joanna to Karswells mansion the next day. When a very strong windstorm abruptly starts, Karswell claims to have created it with a spell. When Holden mocks him, Karswell grows angry and predicts that Holden will die in three days. Holden and his colleagues discuss Karswell and make plans to further examine Rand Hobart. Harringtons diary mentions the parchment passed to him by Karswell; Holden finds a parchment with runic inscriptions that Karswell secretly passed to him at the library. Powerful winds come through the window, blowing the parchment from his fingers. It nearly burns in the fireplace, but is stopped by a fireplace screen before Holden, at the frantic urging of Joanna, reluctantly rescues and pockets it. Holden begins to feel more uneasy after a visit to Hobarts family who are all obviously involved in the cult. As Holden leaves, the parchment flies from his hand again. Hobarts family become fearful and declare Holden to be chosen. Holden compares the parchments runes to ones inscribed on the nearby stone circle at Stonehenge. Joanna takes Holden to a seance at the home of Karswells mother Athene Seyler. The medium channels Harrington, who tells them that Karswell has the key to reading the runes in his book. That night, Holden breaks into Karswells mansion to examine the book. He is caught by Karswell, but is permitted to leave. Against Karwells warning, Holden leaves through the woods and is chased by a ball of smoke and fire. He reports the event to the police, but feels embarrassed. Under hypnosis, Hobart reveals to Holden that he was chosen to die by having a parchment with a curse passed to him, but avoided death by passing it back to his own brother, who had originally passed it to Hobart under orders. Holden realizes that he must return the parchment to the one who gave it to him. When Holden shows Hobart the parchment he received from Karswell, Hobart goes berserk and commits suicide out of fear that the parchment will be passed to him. Holden tracks Karswell to a train to Southhampton, and discovers that he has kidnaped and hypnotized Joanna. As the time for the Holdens predicted death draws near, Karswell becomes more agitated. When the train stops at the next station, he tries to leave, but Holden manages to sneak the parchment into his coat pocket. When Karswell finds the parchment, it flies from his hands. As he chases it down the tracks, the deadline expires and the parchment combusts. As an oncoming train approaches, a thirtyfoot demon appears above and tears Karswell to pieces. The station crew find his mangled, steaming corpse and believe that he was struck and dragged by the train, owing to the mutilation of the body. Holden—frightened, but still obstinate—and Joanna refuse to look because its better not to know.