"With Intent to Steal" by Algernon Blackwood

1 mile = 1.6 kilometers

Straw is made of grain stalks, hay is made of dried grass or legumes

clasp knife: a.k.a. lock-blade knife, having a locking mechanism that locks the blade into its fully opened position

The picture used is the interior of the medieval monastic barn at Croxley Green.

To follow along: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14471/14471-h/14471-h.htm#chapter5

On the matter of fear, there is an extremely fascinating video here on youtube by Vsauce, "What is the Scariest Thihng", in which he (eventually, after much meandering in the way of Vsauce) covers the one and only singular thing discovered to date that even people with non-functioning amygdalae show a fear-response to. One thing that will generate fear and panic in every human being regardless. And it's nothing you would ever expect. Go watch it after you finish up here :)