able. Then he seated himself on the dressing-table by the side
of the revolver, his legs dangling an inch or two above the floor.

'I want to have a talk to you, Jackson,' he began.

'You can talk to me as much as you like,' said Jules. 'I shan't
interfere, you may bet on that.'

'I should like you to answer some questions.'

'That's different,' said Jules. 'I'm not going to answer any questions
while I'm tied up like this. You may bet on that, too.'

'It will pay you to be reasonable,' said Racksole.

'I'm not going to answer any questions while I'm tied up.'

'I'll unfasten your legs, if you like,' Racksole suggested politely,
'then you can sit up. It's no use you pretending you've been
uncomfortable, because I know you haven't. I calculate you've been
treated very handsomely, my son. There you are!' and he loosened the
lower extremities of his prisoner from their bonds. 'Now I repeat you
may as well be reasonable. You may as well admit that you've been fairly
beaten in the game and act accordingly. I was determined to beat you, by
myself, without the police, and I've done it.'

'You've done yourself,' retorted Jules. 'You've gone against the law.
If you'd had any sense you wouldn't have meddled; you'd have left
everything to the police. They'd have muddled about for a year or two,
and then done nothing. Who's going to tell the police now? Are you?
Are you going to give me up to 'em, and say, "Here, I've caught him
for you". If you do they'll ask you to explain several things, and then
you'll look foolish. One crime doesn't excuse another, and you'll find
that out.'

With unerring insight, Jules had perceived exactly the difficulty of
Racksole's position, and it was certainly a difficulty which Racksole
did not attempt to minimize to himself. He knew well that it would have
to be faced. He did not, however, allow Jules to guess his thoughts.

'Meanwhile,' he said calmly to the other, 'you're here and my prisoner.

You've committed a variegated assortment of crimes, and among them is
murder. You are due to be hung. You know that. There is no reason why
I should call in the police at all. It will be perfectly easy for me
to finish you off, as you deserve, myself. I shall only be carrying out
justice, and robbing the hangman of his fee. Precisely as I brought you
into the hotel, I can take you out again. A few days ago you borrowed or
stole a steam yacht at Ostend. What you have done with it I don't know,
nor