me way the proposed meeting in that deserted house was
discovered.

"Precautions against assaults upon Mr. and Mrs. Dodge were taken.

"Uncle Thomas and his assistant thought the time had come for a bold
move. By arresting both Laniers and William Dodge the whole conspiracy
would be confessed. William Dodge would accuse the Laniers, and they
would implicate him. With Paul's and Pierre's Bombay confidences,
corroborated by Dodge's expected confession, conviction of the Laniers
would follow. William Dodge would explain that in bringing the London
suit he was only a pliant tool of the Laniers, and they would blame all
on him. Then he would retaliate by telling about the Thames murders.
These recriminations, the vague Bombay confessions, supplemented by
other facts already known, and further information obtainable through
such powerful clews, would unravel the whole web of criminal connivance,
bringing both Pierre and Paul to strict account."

Alice then told of the tactics employed, William Dodge's Calcutta
confession, and the Lanier reserve. Dodge had no actual knowledge of
Paul's assaults upon Alice and Oswald, but related what he knew of the
circumstances. He fully explained his and Lanier complicity in bringing
the suit, with all after procedure in the action, including its
dismissal.

Alice narrated some parts of this confession, which agreed with that
formerly made in Paris hospital by William Dodge. It was full, but
disappointing.

"Strenuous efforts to induce the Laniers to talk were fruitless. They
made no responses. We surmised that neither cared to assert his rights
by demanding a hearing or trial. They were kept jailed several weeks, in
expectation of some revelations. At last the officers and Uncle Thomas
decided to turn them loose, but still to keep William Dodge in custody.
Thus might Lanier conduct be observed without danger of this important
witness being spirited away or forever silenced.

"William Dodge himself did not protest against his continued
imprisonment.

"For a few days Pierre and Paul nervously moved about in Calcutta, and
then quit the city.

"That assistant left at the same time, and following them to different
points, reaches London, lodging across an alley, in full view of the
basement stairway leading to the room occupied by Pierre and Paul.

"For a long time after the Laniers sailed, Uncle Thomas and I remained
in Calcutta.

"Letters telling of Lanier movements came from that