# File lib/JapaneseContextAnalysis.rb, line 210
        def get_order(aStr)
            unless aStr then return -1, 1 end
            # find out current char's byte length
            aStr = aStr.to_s
            if (aStr[0] == 0x8E) or ((aStr[0] >= 0xA1) and (aStr[0] <= 0xFE))
                charLen = 2
            elsif aStr[0] == 0x8F
                charLen = 3
            else
                charLen = 1
            end

            # return its order if it is hiragana
            if aStr.length > 1
                if (aStr[0] == 0xA4) and \
                   (aStr[1] >= 0xA1) and \
                   (aStr[1] <= 0xF3)
                    return aStr[1][0] - 0xA1, charLen
                end
            end

            return -1, charLen
        end