The Project Gutenberg EBook of Police Operation, by H. Beam Piper

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: Police Operation

Author: H. Beam Piper

Illustrator: Cartier

Release Date: August 16, 2006 [EBook #19067]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POLICE OPERATION ***

Produced by Greg Weeks, William Woods, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Transcriber's note:
This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_,
July 1948. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence
that the copyright on this publication was renewed.

[Illustration]

POLICE OPERATION

BY H. BEAM PIPER

_Hunting down the beast, under the best of
circumstances, was dangerous. But in this
little police operation, the conditions
required the use of inadequate means!_

Illustrated by Cartier

* * * * *

"... _there may be something in the nature of an occult
police force, which operates to divert human suspicions,
and to supply explanations that are good enough for
whatever, somewhat in the nature of minds, human beings
have--or that, if there be occult mischief makers and
occult ravagers, they may be of a world also of other
beings that are acting to check them, and to explain
them, not benevolently, but to divert suspicion from
themselves, because they, too, may be exploiting life
upon this earth, but in ways more subtle, and in orderly,
or organised, fashion._"
_Charles Fort:_ "LO!"

John Strawmyer stood, an irate figure in faded overalls and
sweat-whitened black shirt, apart from the others, his back to the
weathered farm-buildings and the line of yellowing woods and the
cirrus-streaked blue October sky. He thrust out a work-gnarled hand
accusingly.

"That there heifer was worth two hund'rd, two hund'rd an' fifty
dollars!" he clamored. "An' that there dog was just like one uh the
fam'ly; An' now look at'm! I don't like t' use profane language, but
you'ns gotta _do_ some'n ab