All was quiet and orderly in the great office at Whitehall, and a quiet, thoughtful official heard their business, raised his eyebrows a little, and then made a few notes. "You will keep the matter as quiet as possible," said Artingale, "for the sake of the young lady's family; but at all costs she must be brought back." "We'll soon find the scoundrel, my lord; but from your description he is not a London man." "London, no; he is one of those scoundrels who live more by poaching than anything." "All right, sir. I'll take your address--and yours, sir. Can I find you here--at what time?" "Time!" cried Artingale; "I have no time but for this affair. I'll stay here with you and your men--live here--sleep here. Damme, I'll join the force if it will help to bring the poor child back. It is horribly bad! She was to have been married this morning." "All that can be done, sir, shall be done," said the officer, quietly. "And now, gentlemen, if you'll take my advice you'll go home and have a good sleep." "What!" cried Artingale. "Go and sleep? No, I want to be at work." "Exactly, sir; then go and have a rest, and be ready for when I want you. If you stop here you can do no good--only harm, by hindering me." "But, damn it all!" cried Artingale, furiously, "you take it so coolly." "The only way to win, sir--my lord, I mean. But we are wasting time. By now I should have had the telegraph at work, and the description flying to every station in London." "In God's name, then, go on," cried Artingale, "take no notice of us, only let us stay." The officer nodded, and in an incredibly short space of time it was known all over London and the districts round of the elopement or abduction, and a couple of the keenest officers were at work to track the fugitives down. It took some time; but a clever net was drawn all over London. The early morning trains were watched, the yards where the night cabs were housed were visited; the various common lodging-houses had calls, and every effort was made to trace Jock Morrison, and had he been a known London bird the probabilities are that the police would have placed their hands upon him; but they had to deal with a man whose life had been one of practised cunning, and he had so made his plans that the police were at fault. They found the cabman in a very short time, and he testified to having driven the great fellow and the lady with him to Charing Cross. That was all.