I have an idea that Van Helsing thinks he knows, too, but he will only let out enough at a time to whet curiosity.

He went to Exeter yesterday, and stayed there all night.

Today he came back, and almost bounded into the room at about half-past five o'clock, and thrust last night's "Westminster Gazette" into my hand.
"What do you think of that ?" he asked as he stood back and folded his arms.
I looked over the paper, for I really did not know what he meant, but he took it from me and pointed out a paragraph about children being decoyed away at Hampstead.

It did not convey much to me, until I reached a passage where it described small puncture wounds on their throats.

An idea struck me, and I looked up.
"Well ?" he said.
"It is like poor Lucy's." "And what do you make of it ?" "Simply that there is some cause in common.