An elderly man with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out at a side door.
"My God!" he cried.

"Someone has loosed the dog.

It's not been fed for two days.

Quick, quick, or it'll be too late!" Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, with Toller hurrying behind us.

There was the huge famished brute, its black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and screamed upon the ground.