id. So far I had my business arrangements all
gathered up nice and compact in my own hands. Only two things bothered
me; the terrible shortness of the time at my disposal, in case I failed
in my first experiments, for getting hold of the letter, and that queer
inscription which I had copied out of the pocketbook:

"MEM. 5 ALONG. 4 ACROSS."

It was the measurement most likely of something, and he was afraid of
forgetting it; therefore it was something important. Query--something
about himself? Say "5" (inches) "along"--he doesn't wear a wig. Say "5"
(feet) "along"--it can't be coat, waistcoat, trousers, or underclothing.
Say "5" (yards) "along"--it can't be anything about himself, unless he
wears round his body the rope that he's sure to be hanged with one of
these days. Then it is _not_ something about himself. What do I know of
that is important to him besides? I know of nothing but the Letter. Can
the memorandum be connected with that? Say, yes. What do "5 along" and
"4 across" mean, then? The measurement of something he carries about
with him? or the measurement of something in his room? I could get
pretty satisfactorily to myself as far as that; but I could get no
further.

Tom came back to the office, and reported him mounted for his ride.
His friend had never appeared. I sent the boy off, with his proper
instructions, on Sam's back--wrote an encouraging letter to Mr. Frank
to keep him quiet--then slipped into the inn by the back way a little
before half-past ten. The head chambermaid gave me a signal when the
landing was clear. I got into his room without a soul but her seeing me,
and locked the door immediately.

The case was, to a certain extent, simplified now. Either Mr. Davager
had ridden out with the letter about him, or he had left it in some safe
hiding-place in his room. I suspected it to be in his room, for a reason
that will a little astonish you--his trunk, his dressing-case, and all
the drawers and cupboards, were left open. I knew my customer, and I
thought this extraordinary carelessness on his part rather suspicious.

Mr. Davager had taken one of the best bedrooms at the Gatliffe Arms.
Floor carpeted all over, walls beautifully papered, four-poster, and
general furniture first-rate. I searched, to begin with, on the usual
plan, examining everything in every possible way, and taking more than
an hour about it. No discovery. Then I pulled out a carpenter's
rule which I had brought with me. Was t