His ignorance is no defences, for don't each gent present know of that aphorism of the law, _Ignoratis legia non excusat_!' "Dan, nacherally, is enable to combat sech profound bluffs as this, an' I'm free to confess if it ain't for Colonel Sterett buttin' in with more Latin, the same bein' of equal cogency with that of Peet's, the footure would have turned plenty dark an' doobious for Bowlaigs.

As Dan sinks back speechless an' played from Peet's shot, the Colonel, who bein' eddicated like Peets to a feather aige is ondismayed an' cool, comes to the rescoo.
"'That law proverb you quotes, Doc,' says the Colonel, 'is dead c'rrect, an' if argyment was to pitch its last camp thar, your deductions that this benighted Bowlaigs must swing, would be ondeniable.

But thar's a element lackin' in this affair without which no offence is feasible.

The question is,--an' I slams it at you, Doc, as a thoughtful eddicated sharp--does this yere Bowlaigs open them letters an' bust into that mail bag _causa lucrae_?
I puts this query up to you-all, Doc, for answer.

It's obv'ous that Bowlaigs ain't got no notion of money bein' in them missives an' tharfore he couldn't have been moved by no thoughts of gain.