The Blood on Satan’s Claw

Rosalind becomes possessed by the demonic force after staying in the judge's attic. While being taken away to be committed, Peter glimpses a grotesque claw replacing her hand, indicating she has been transformed or partially consumed by the evil entity spreading through the village.

Her mysterious illness and the terrifying screams she heard in the attic earlier hinted at a supernatural presence targeting her.

The children, led by Angel Blake, become corrupted after discovering the demon's relics and are gradually drawn into dark rituals. The demon Behemoth appears during their gatherings, and the children tear fur from their own bodies to restore the creature's form, symbolizing their complete surrender to evil.

The discovery of the claw by three children playing in the field links them to the demonic presence before their full corruption.

Behemoth is a furred demonic beast that the cult worships. The children perform a Black Mass dedicated to this demon, offering pieces of their own fur to restore its body. The cult's ultimate goal is to complete a ritual at the ruined church to fully restore the demon's form.

The deformed skull and claw discovered by Ralph were fragments of Behemoth's body, which the demon needs reassembled.

Ralph becomes infected with the demonic influence after rescuing Margaret, who bears a piece of the demon's fur on her leg. By the time he infiltrates the cult's final meeting at the church, fur has spread across his legs, representing how the evil has physically taken hold of him.

His contact with Margaret, who is fully committed to the demon's service, directly transmits the corruption to him.

Peter sneaks into the attic to investigate the strange noises and is attacked by a creature with fur-covered claws. During the struggle, he attempts to defend himself with a knife but accidentally severs his own hand, suggesting the creature overpowered him completely.

The earlier discovery of the skull and the strange noises in the attic had warned of a dangerous entity in the house.

After Rosalind injures Mistress Banham during her investigation of the attic screams, she falls mysteriously ill. The judge, skeptical of supernatural explanations but eager to remove her, decides she must be committed to an institution. Peter cannot prevent this decision.

The judge's disapproval of Peter and Rosalind's relationship made her vulnerable to being dismissed as unstable.

Mark is lured away from his classes by classmates playing truant. The children lead him to an abandoned churchyard where they engage in a ritualistic game of blind man's buff. Mark's body is later discovered hidden in a woodshed, having been murdered as part of the cult's rituals.

The children had already been finding the demonic relics and were beginning their descent into darkness.

Ralph Gower discovers a deformed skull with one intact eye and strange fur growths, but before the judge can properly examine it, the skull mysteriously vanishes. This supernatural occurrence ensures the evil entity's existence cannot be proven through evidence, allowing the corruption to spread unchecked.

The disappearance itself demonstrates the demonic force's ability to manipulate events to protect itself.

The judge returns from London and leads a mob to attack the cult's gathering at the ruined church. During the confrontation, the judge kills the demon Behemoth with a sword, which breaks the curse and causes Ralph's fur-covered body to return to normal, restoring peace to the village.

The judge's research into witchcraft and his promise to return provided the knowledge and resolve needed to combat the evil.

Cathy, Mark's sister, is lured into the cult's secret rituals after Mark's death. She is seen with patches of fur on her back, indicating she has been drawn into the cult's activities and is being corrupted like the other children.

The trauma of losing her brother made her vulnerable to the cult's influence.

After Rosalind injures her during the attic incident, Mistress Banham falls ill under mysterious circumstances. She then unexpectedly disappears from the judge's house, with the implication being that the demonic entity claimed her, either killing her or consuming her as it did others.

The evil presence in the attic had already targeted Rosalind and would claim others in the household.

Ralph attempts to save Margaret when he sees her being taken to be drowned as a suspected witch. During the rescue, he discovers she bears a piece of the demon's fur on her leg, revealing her as a servant of the devil, but his同情心 compels him to act anyway.

Ralph's earlier discovery of the skull had made him uniquely aware of the supernatural threat, driving him to intervene.

After researching witchcraft to understand the strange events, the judge departs for London, leaving Squire Middleton in charge. He promises to return, which he does later with the knowledge needed to destroy the cult. His departure allows the evil to intensify but also gives him the critical information needed for the final confrontation.

The judge's study of witchcraft books provides him with the understanding needed to identify and combat the demon.