We closed the outer door and barred and locked it, and bringing the dogs with us, began our search of the house.

We found nothing throughout except dust in extraordinary proportions, and all untouched save for my own footsteps when I had made my first visit.

Never once did the dogs exhibit any symptom of uneasiness, and even when we returned to the chapel they frisked about as though they had been rabbit hunting in a summer wood.
The morning was quickening in the east when we emerged from the front.
Dr.Van Helsing had taken the key of the hall door from the bunch, and locked the door in orthodox fashion, putting the key into his pocket when he had done.
"So far," he said, "our night has been eminently successful.

No harm has come to us such as I feared might be and yet we have ascertained how many boxes are missing.

More than all do I rejoice that this, our first, and perhaps our most difficult and dangerous, step has been accomplished without the bringing thereinto our most sweet Madam Mina or troubling her waking or sleeping thoughts with sights and sounds and smells of horror which she might never forget.