"You may find it easy, Wigan, but my legs are not so young as they were, and climbing a roof is outside their business." "At any rate, you can see that it is an easy journey," I said. "Oh, yes, for young legs; and it is not likely this gang is composed of old crooks. By the way, I think they must have got out of this window as well as in at it. Look at this scratch on the sill--a boot heel, I should say, and the position would mean that the man was getting out. It is not certain that the stuff was not carried across the roof, Wigan. I wonder whether Mr. Bowman has returned to his office yet?" "I have a man watching for him," I answered. "It's a curious case," said Quarles as we went downstairs. "I suppose you have inquired among the staff whether anyone knew Frederick Ewing intimately, visited him at Hammersmith, knew his private friends, hobbies, and so forth." "Yes. Nobody appears to have known anything about him outside the office." "I should like to have a look at the desk he occupied. I suppose that can be managed." Permission was given us. The man who used it now got up to allow us to examine it, and Quarles again used his lens, going over the desk without and within. "Was Mr. Ewing rather an untidy person?" he asked, turning to the clerk. "No, I don't think so. I hardly knew him." "Kept himself to himself a good deal, eh?" "Yes; I believe that was the general impression." "A bit of a dreamer, Wigan, I should say." And then the professor thanked the clerk, and we left the bank. "We've got to find Frederick Ewing," said Quarles decidedly. "He is the keystone to the mystery. Without definite knowledge concerning him we are powerless, I fancy. Even if we make an arrest, even if we arrest a gang of men, we could prove nothing. They are not likely to be found carrying any of the missing jewels, and there is precious little evidence to be got out of a sovereign. Months must elapse before the jewels, one or two at a time, filter into the market, and no banknotes or bonds which might further us with a clew have been taken. Ewing must be found." In this direction I was up against a blank wall. I gave instruction for every shop, every public-house in the neighborhood of Ewing's lodgings, to be visited, and practically there was no result. A tobacconist fancied he recognized a customer from the description given of him, but that was all. Ewing had once belonged to a rowing club at Hammersmith, but had gone in for little serious practice. And the day after Quarles and I had visited the bank I drew another blank. Bowman, the mortgage broker, returned to his office. Not only was it quite certain that none of the gold was hidden there, but he explained his absence so thoroughly that it was impossible to suppose he had anything to do with the affair.