seven o'clock
He ran almost all the way to the little inn ; for he was growing desperate now , with the idea that his man had escaped him . `` Why , he can do anything with such a start , '' he thought to himself . `` And yet there 's his lameness -- that 'll go against him . '' At the Rose and Crown Mr. Carter was informed that a fly had been ordered at seven o'clock that morning by a young person from Woodbine Cottage ; that the vehicle had not long come in , and that the driver was somewhere about the stables . The driver was summoned at Mr. Carter 's request , and from him the detective ascertained that a gentleman , wrapped up to the very nose , and wearing a coat lined with fur , and walking very lame , had been taken up by him at Woodbine Cottage . This gentleman had ordered the driver to go as fast as he could to Shorncliffe station ; but on reaching the station , it appeared the gentleman was too late for the train he wanted to go by , for he came back to the fly , limping awful , and told the man to drive to Maningsly . The driver explained to Mr. Carter that Maningsly was a little village three miles from Shorncliffe , on a by-road .