Colonel Starbottle had a wholesome distrust of the sex as a business or political factor.

He began to look over the letter, but was evidently slurring it with superficial politeness, when Corbin said:-- "Read it out loud." The Colonel slightly lifted his shoulders, fortified himself with another sip of the julep, and, leaning back, oratorically began to read,--the stranger leaning over him and following line by line with shining eyes.
"'When I say I am sorry for you, it is because I think it must be dreadful for you to be going round with the blood of a fellow-creature on your hands.

It must be awful for you in the stillness of the night season to hear the voice of the Lord saying, "Cain, where is thy brother ?" and you saying, "Lord, I have slayed him dead." It must be awful for you when the pride of your wrath was surfitted, and his dum senseless corps was before you, not to know that it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," saith the Lord.

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