midnight
His notebook and the cuttings from old files relative to the Clark case he burned in his wash basin and then carefully washed the basin . That done , his attendance on a sick man , and the letter found on the bed was all the positive evidence they had to connect him with the case . He had had some thought of slipping out by the fire-escape and making a search for Dick on his own account , but his lack of familiarity with his surroundings made that practically useless . At midnight he stretched out on his bed without undressing , and went over the situation carefully . He knew nothing of the various neuroses which affect the human mind , but he had a vague impression that memory when lost did eventually return , and Dick 's recognition of the chambermaid pointed to such a return . He wondered what a man would feel under such conditions , what he would think . He could not do it .