"Only one more favor," says I. "Would my boy Tom be very much in
the way if he came, from now till ten, to help with the boots and
shoes, and stood at his work close by this window which looks out
on the staircase?"
"Not a bit," says the head chambermaid.
"Thank you," says I; and stepped back to my office directly.
When I had sent Tom off to help with the boots and shoes, I
reviewed the whole case exactly as it stood at that time.
There were three things Mr. Davager might do with the letter. He
might give it to his friend again before ten--in which case Tom
would most likely see the said friend on the stairs. He might
take it to his friend, or to some other friend, after ten--in
which case Tom was ready to follow him on Sam the pony. And,
lastly, he might leave it hidden somewhere in his room at the
inn--in which case I was all ready for him with a search-warrant
of my own granting, under favor always of my friend the head
chambermaid. 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.
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