'
'But you won't,' Jules murmured.
'No,' said Racksole steadily, 'I won't - if you behave yourself this
morning. But I swear to you that if you don't I will never rest till
you are dead, police or no police. You don't know Theodore
Racksole.'
'I believe you mean it,' Jules exclaimed, with an air of surprised
interest, as though he had discovered something of importance.
'I believe I do,' Racksole resumed. 'Now listen. At the best, you
will be given up to the police. At the worst, I shall deal with you
myself. With the police you may have a chance - you may get off
with twenty years' penal servitude, because, though it is absolutely
certain that you murdered Reginald Dimmock, it would be a little
difficult to prove the case against you. But with me you would
have no chance whatever. I have a few questions to put to you, and
it will depend on how you answer them whether I give you up to
the police or take the law into my own hands. And let me tell you
that the latter course would be much simpler for me. And I would
take it, too, did I not feel that you were a very clever and
exceptional man; did I not have a sort of sneaking admiration for
your detestable skill and ingenuity.'
'You think, then, that I am clever?' said Jules. 'You are right. I am.
I should have been much too clever for you if luck had not been
against me.
You owe your victory, not to skill, but to luck.
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