‘ ‘ ‘  Love, as strong as it may be, is often subconscious until the loss of the object of love.’  Hate, on the other hand is always strongly felt – its presence like an unpleasant taste or smell.’  Hate may well begin in infancy with certain things that are distasteful. At this stage it is like a root hair ‘“ tiny, almost insignificant and undeveloped but, like a root hair, may grow to become a secondary, then a primary root. This powerful root will then become venomous not only to the hater but feeding society with feelings and chemicals it can well do without.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  Hate, in extreme cases may become a constant companion, souring life, poisoning the blood-stream even disfiguring the face.’  A smile becomes a grimace, the eyes slits of light. A repugnant thing.
‘ ‘ ‘  Such was the face of Lechter. Some said that his mother’s milk was sour. Perhaps he’d never known a happy or sweet moment but a hard and harsh upbringing. Passersby would either look quickly away or return his angry look with a challenge and a scowl .’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  Pitiable on the one hand, Lechter had no friend.’  Anything Lechter offered would be treated only with suspicion and mistrust.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  It was told also that his father had been very wealthy but an incorrigible miser – a bedraggled tramp who turned all his coins into gold or silver which he buried in caches at various locations outside the city. Lechter had either stolen and made a copy of his father’s map or was given it upon the old man’s death.’  Nothing or no one could otherwise account for the money with which’  Lechter had begun to buy suits and good, even expensive clothes after having gone about looking like the tramp his father was. He began to live almost extravagantly being seen in expensive restaurants and moving to an upper class part of town.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  Lechter’s face and manners in themselves would have sufficed to repulse society from him but, unfortunately, a far darker and sinister side began to be rumored about the man.’  This not only distanced him even further from people but many would have liked to see Lechter lynched.’ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘  The feeling in the city was that someone that had become to be known as “The Lancer” was no other than Lechter himself.’  This horror would not only rape an unfortunate victim, but also deliberately slash a cheek or forehead in order to disfigure the face.’  Worse, even, lecher would not only attack young women but also the aged and feeble.
‘ ‘ ‘  Hatred towards Lechter was thing that could almost be felt.’  It followed him as he went like a bad smell. After passing, many would turn and glare at his back and wish him dead on the spot.
‘ ‘ ‘  “Can’t we do something about the man?”
‘ ‘ ‘  “Oh, Derek!’  I didn’t see you in the dark.’  What are you doing hiding behind our wall?”‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘  “Well, Stephen, things are becoming so hot about Lechter that I thought to keep a bit of a watch on his place myself.’  This building is just in the right spot.”
‘ ‘ ‘  “Look, there’s a meeting at my place tonight.’  Come and join in.’  We’re going to discuss him.”
‘ ‘ ‘  Some thirty people crowded the room. Plans were discussed as to how to rid their city and society of the man.’  All attacks had taken place in the hours of darkness. After a rowdy debate it was decided that, in co-operation with the police, a watch would be set up.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  “There are enough of us retired or unemployed to do the job.’  We shall have to watch only from dark until midnight.’  No girl dares walk alone now except in emergency. Two three-hour watches will suffice. We’ll work in pairs, so we need twenty eight volunteers.”
‘ ‘ ‘  All hands went up out of which twenty eight were listed including the two brothers, Stephen and Derek.
‘ ‘ ‘  “It must be clear,” continued Stephen, “we are not here to follow the man.’  Enough that his outing will coincide with any attack coupled with any scratches or bruises to Lechter following the attack for the police to take over.’  This will include forensic tests. We must still give the man the benefit of the doubt.
‘ ‘ ‘  This voluntary regimen then began covering Lechter’s comings and goings night after night.’  It’  became known that Tuesdays and Thursdays Lechter would go out.’  Sometimes he would be seen at a movie or huddled alone in the darkest corner of a bar with a beer.’  On some outings he would not be seen anywhere. A month passed without incident. Some watchers had doubts about their efforts.
‘ ‘ ‘  “You know, Derek, this may not be the right way to go about catching Lechter.’  After all, there are attacks only three or four times a year!”
‘ ‘ ‘  “Yeah.’  Probably we’re in for a long haul. Maybe Lechter has begun to feel the heat and has stopped his attacks. Females are even beginning to move about again at night ‘œ.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  Just a few days later something happened to set the city not only buzzing but some even laughing. A man, suspected to be the Lancer, had again struck but had made a bad mistake.’  If not for the tragic and fearful side of it, this was the best joke some had heard in years.
‘ ‘ ‘  It was one of those nights that Lechter had been seen to leave his apartment.’  Heavily clouded, a cold, light drizzle did not make the watchers vigil pleasant.
‘ ‘ ‘  The incident happened in the park.’  In order to attract the rapist, an athlete and black-belt karate youth had taken to dressing like a woman and walking late each evening through the park.’  This took him from the gym where he would work-out back to his flat at the city center.’  Being an unpleasant night, the park was deserted.’  The police sergeant questioning the young athlete later that night was most upset and frustrated.
‘ ‘ ‘  “Can’t you give me even a few more details?, he almost wailed.”‘  The sergeant’s face was a picture of disappointment as he tried to squeeze even the smallest detail of the attacker from the youth.’  “You do say you had a glimpse of his face.’  It appeared to have been Lechter but you’re not sure because of his build. These details shed really no light on the man’™s identity.’  If anything they only make things worse. Then you tell me that he slipped out of your grasp by using a greased raincoat!’  Finally, you couldn’t catch him because he made off with a bicycle hidden nearby!’  All very frustrating.”
‘ ‘ ‘  The youth was most apologetic but could offer no more evidence. “Well I did manage to give him a good beating up,” he said in conclusion.’  “Something he’s not likely to forget for a long time!” This with a broad smile.
‘ ‘ ‘  “Okay.’  You can go for now.’  But keep yourself handy for more questions if I need you.’
‘ ‘ ‘  That concluded the episode but did not end the worry for many citizens and the work of The Watcher’s Vigil, as they had become to be called.
‘ ‘ ‘  “I can’t help feeling that this watching and reporting is not going to get us anywhere really. Even if the Lancer strikes on nights that Lechter goes out, that still doesn’t prove that it’s Lechter, does it?”
‘ ‘ ‘  “No.’  But if his face or an arm or leg is bruised or scratched,’  it does put him in a spot, doesn’t it?’  Tells more than half a story.”
‘ ‘ ‘  “Well … maybe.”
‘ ‘ ‘  For the next few days Lechter was not to be seen – neither coming nor going. He was also not on any of the streets nor in any of the bars in which he was want to pass an hour or two. Rumors spread that it was now almost sure that the Lancer was he. With such circumstantial evidence the police paid a visit to his flat only to find that he was not in.
‘ ‘ ‘  “I don’t keep track of all comings and goings, but ‘im I aint seen for a few days” was all they could get out of the doorkeeper at the entrance to the building.
‘ ‘ ‘  More months passed.’  Winter was slowly becoming spring.’  Except for a break of four days, Lechter had returned to his old routine. The Watchers Vigil still breathed the night air doggedly determined to get their man. Suddenly a morning paper screamed: ‘LANCER STRIKES AGAIN’. The headline was almost a quarter of a page in height.’  Reading it Derek was aghast. Why, that very night he and Stephen had seen Lechter leave his building but had not seen him return.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘Identity of Lancer finally uncovered!’, the heading continued. The attack had taken place at eleven forty the last evening. Again the Lancer had made a woeful mistake on his part. The prostitute in the bright red dress turned out to be no other than the same athlete that had been attacked before!’  This time he was also wearing special rubber gloves for gripping slippery surfaces. The attacker was held, arms and body in a grip he must have thought of as nothing less than a pipe vice.’  He screamed with pain. “Let go!’  You’re killing me!”‘  But the grip had only tightened until the man had actually passed out and collapsed in a coma.
‘ ‘ ‘  It was found he was wearing a rubber mask not dissimilar to the face of Lechter.’  Amongst other paraphernalia In his pocket he carried a razor and a length of strong cord.’  He was young and not unhandsome.’  His arms were covered with marks of the needle.
‘ ‘ ‘  The courtroom had never been as packed as when the Lancer’s case was heard.’  It didn’t take long for the judge to mete out a stiff sentence for the offender.
‘ ‘ ‘  What did astonish the members of the Watchers Vigil and many inhabitants acquainted with Lechter, was when the prosecutor asked the court’™s permission to call Lechter to the stand ‘˜in order’™, he had said, ‘œto clear a scandalous misconception and ugly rumours that had been going about the town for some years.’™ The article went on to quote Lechter’™s reply to the court:
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘I’m hated, your honor simply because of my appearance. I have been hated from my earliest years – ever since I’ve known myself. I never remember hearing a kind word from my mother or father. It was always beatings and anger. I blamed myself for being bad. The rumors going around about me and false accusations gave me a kind of savage satisfaction and pleasure to know that I was fooling the public.’  For me it was a kind of a revenge.’  I knew I had nothing to do with the rapes but I let you think whatever you wished. Now. owing to all the questioning I had to undergo,’  my present activity has become public knowledge. This is the last thing I ever wished. Until now, what I did, I did anonymously. It was and still is the one pleasure I have – affording those underprivileged kids at school a square, hot meal each day. Watching them play the games I never could.’  But I’ve had my revenge.’  You can say whatever you wish. I shall continue to do what I have done since my father’s death. That is all I have to say.”‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘  Astounded, Derek lowered the paper he had been reading. Over it, he looked at Stephen, his expression as dumbfounded as that of his brother.