Mortimer was first dispatched to search for the fugitives; but when he returned unsuccessfully, and no trace of the delinquents was to be found, either in and about the house or in the adjacent garden, the campaigner, whose nerves had been in a state of tension all day, fairly broke down. She proclaimed her calamities to her astonished company, bursting into a passion of tears, as she threw her arms round the neck of her boy, that young imp, and exclaimed, "Oh! Morti-mer! Morti-mer! I told you so! I told you so!" over and over again, insisting all the time that she had _him_ still left to her! The _fiasco_ of the pic-nic was comparatively nothing to the present scene; and the excitement culminated when a note was brought in at this juncture by the campaigner's abigail (who said she had just found it on the dressing-table in Miss Carry's room, although she had known of its existence some hours before, and Lady Inskip discharged her, "by the same token," as Paddy says, the next day for her complicity in the affair), telling how the young lady--somewhat "fast" on her part, it must be confessed--had gone off with Captain Miles to get married, spurred up to the point probably by the events of the day. The note, which was handed round for general perusal, in consequence of Lady Inskip's temporary abstraction, ran as follows, in Carry's neat calligraphy, described in violet ink, on cream-laid note:-- "Dear Ma,-- "Algernon and I having determined to unite our lot--(we have been in correspondence for a long time without your knowledge)--have gone off to get married without any bother. We knew you would object and `kick up a row,' as dear Algernon says, and have therefore thought it best to go off without letting you know anything about the state of our affections. Any pursuit will be vain, as we are both determined. We will be married to-morrow morning. Hoping you will not be vexed very much with your `darling girl,' and that Laura will be as happy as I intend to be, with the `prig,' as I used to call the poor little parson, "Believe me, "Your affectionate daughter, "Carry. "P.S.--Algernon says to give you his love, and he tells you to `keep your pecker up.' Tell Mortimer he can have my Persian kitten. Please excuse Abigail for helping me off. I bullied her into doing it. Forgive me, dear ma! I know I shall be as happy as a butterfly, and, at all events, I shall ever be your loving daughter, Carry." The comments that were made on this missive may be imagined; and in the commotion that ensued the characters of the campaigner's guests soon developed themselves, as is usually the case in moments of excitement, particularly when an _esclandre_ arises.