Herbert Jenkins

“ A minute later the form seemed to detach itself from the carcase and wriggled along towards the hedge, a dark patch upon the grass.
Malcolm Sage was already half-way through the second field, keeping well under the shelter of the hedge. He reached a spot where the intersecting hedge joined that running parallel with the highroad. There was a hole sufficiently large for a man to crawl through from one field to the other. By this Malcolm Sage waited, a life-preserver in his hand. ”

“ Malcolm Sage shrugged his shoulders as he rose to go.
"I was sorry to have to hit him," he said regretfully, "but I was afraid of that knife. A man can do a lot of damage with a thing like that. That's why I told you not to let your men attempt to take him, Wensdale."
"How did you know what sort of knife it was?" asked the inspector.
"Oh! I motored down here, and the car broke down. Incidentally I made a lot of acquaintances, including Callice's patrol-leader, a bright lad. He told me a lot of things about Callice and his ways. A remarkable product the boy scout," he added. ”

“ The inspector shook a gloomy head and dropped his heavy frame into a chair.
Malcolm Sage indicated with a nod that Thompson was to remain.
"Can you borrow a couple of covered government lorries?" queried Malcolm Sage.
"A couple of hundred if necessary," said the inspector dully.
"Two will be enough," was the dry rejoinder. "Now listen carefully, Wensdale. I want you to have fifty men housed some ten miles away from Hempdon on the afternoon of the 22nd. Select men who have done scouting, ex-boy scouts, for preference. Don't choose any with bald heads or with very light hair. ”

“ Ignoring the interruption Malcolm Sage continued.
"A man committing a series of crimes from a given spot was bound to spread his operations over a fairly wide area in order to minimise the chance of discovery. The longer the period and the larger the number of comes, the greater the chance of his being located somewhere near the centre of his activities."
"Well, I'm damned!" remarked Sir John for the second time. Then suddenly turning to Inspector Wensdale, "Dammit!" ”

“ At the full moon this particular tribe, whose act Callice has reproduced, was in the habit of slaughtering some beast, or beasts, and drinking the blood, probably with the idea of absorbing their strength or their courage. Possibly the surroundings at Hempdon were similar to those where the act of sacrifice was committed in the past. ”

“ Make it clear that none must show themselves. If they actually see anyone in the act, they must track him, not try to take him."
Thompson nodded his head comprehendingly.
"Make it clear that they are there to watch; but I doubt if they'll see anything," he added.
II At eleven o'clock on the night of July the 23rd, two motor lorries glided slowly along some three miles distant from one another. From their interiors silent forms dropped noiselessly on to the moon-white road. A moment later, slipping into the shadow of the hedge, they disappeared. All the previous night men had watched and waited ”

“ You supplied me with a large scale-map showing the exact spot where each of the previous maimings had taken place. I drew a square to embrace the whole. Lines drawn diagonally from corner to corner gave me the centre of gravity. ”