Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a confidence trick.

1852		Kendal Mercury 24 Jan. 6/1: The country has long been infested by professional cadgers, who are adepts in all the ‘dodges’ extant [...] we will here mention a few of these ‘lairs’ which have proved the most lucrative.
1852		Kendal Mercury 24 Jan. 6/1: If you weer ‘fly to the lair’ and peremptorily ordered them out of your house, they would [...] obstinately remain stationary.