him instantly."

The other five then gave their evidence; it was similar to that of
Tring, save that being in front of him they knew nothing of the attack
by the Lascar. All they knew about it was that there was a sudden
rush upon them by a number of men armed with bludgeons, that they were
separated, and that each defended himself until the guard came up.

Some of the watch then gave evidence, and told how on arriving at
the spot eleven of the prisoners were found lying senseless; how, on
recovering, they were all taken to the watch house, where several of
them were recognized as notoriously bad characters; they had admitted
that they were paid to make the attack, which was apparently the result
of the private enmity of some person or persons unknown to one or more
of those attacked.

The Lieutenant then related the steps that he had taken to capture
others connected with the attack, and that he found eight men bearing
marks of the fray, and that all these were also notorious characters,
and associates of the prisoners first taken. The first witnesses were
again questioned; five of them said that, so far as they knew, they had
no personal enemies. Mark, who was the last to get into the witness box,
said that he himself had no enemies, but that an uncle of his, who was
in the British Indian service, had a sort of feud with some members of
a sect there on account of some jewels that he had purchased, and which
had, they declared, been stolen from a temple. Two soldiers through
whose hands these things had passed, had been successively killed by
them, and his uncle had to the day of his death believed that their
vengeance would one day fall upon him.

"I can only suppose," continued Mark, "that I have inherited the enmity
they bore him, as I inherited the jewels, and that the attack was really
designed solely against me, and the consequences might have been
fatal to me had it not been for the strength and courage of my fellow
passengers."

"Did they come with you for your protection, Mr. Thorndyke?"

"To some extent, yes. The fact is, that I have for some time been
convinced that I was followed about by natives of India, and remembering
what my uncle had said on the subject, I became to some degree
apprehensive, and thought it as well to leave London for a short time.
That this attack was really instigated by the men I have no doubt
whatever, since, as you have heard, it was begun by a Lascar, who tried
to stab on