CHAPTER V. THE FIRST SPARK PASSES 

"Now, gentlemen," shouted the auctioneer when he had finished his oration upon the girl's attractions, "what 'tin I bid? Eight hundred?" 

Stephen caught his breath. There was a long pause no one cared to start the bidding. 

"Come, gentlemen, come! There's my friend Alf Jenkins. He knows what she's worth to a cent. What'll you give, Alf? Is it eight hundred?" 

Mr. Jenkins winked at the auction joined in the laugh. 

"Three hundred!" he said. 

The auctioneer was mortally offended. Then some one cried:--"Three hundred and fifty!" 

It was young Colfax. He was recognized at once, by name, evidently as a person of importance. 

"Thank you, Mistah Colfax, suh," said the auctioneer, with a servile wave of the hand in his direction, while the crowd twisted their necks to see him. He stood very straight, very haughty, as if entirely oblivious to his conspicuous position. 

"Three seventy-five!" 

"That's better, Mistah Jenkins," said the auctioneer, sarcastically. He turned to the girl, who might have stood to a sculptor for a figure of despair. Her hands were folded in front of her, her head bowed down. The auctioneer put his hand under her chin and raised it roughly. "Cheer up, my gal," he said, "you ain't got nothing to blubber about now." 

Hester's breast heaved and from her black eyes there shot a magnificent look of defiance. He laughed. That was the white blood. 

The white blood! 

Clarence Colfax had his bid taken from his lips. Above the heads of the people he had a quick vision of a young man with a determined face, whose voice rang clear and strong,-- "Four hundred!" 
Who was the second person to bid?
What did he offer?
Did that make Jenkins get more serious?
What was his new bid?
What was his first?
Did he act goofy with his first?
What did the auctioneer suggest for the first bid?
Was there a fourth?
from who?
Who was getting ready to bid when this new man did?
What is being sold?
What is her name?
Is she scared?
How does she feel?
What does the auctioneer see that as?
How does she show it to him?
What kind of look does she give him?
Where was she looking before that?
where were her hands?
Does the auctioneer like the first bid?
Colfax
Then some one cried:--"Three hundred and fifty!" 

It was young Colfax
Three hundred and fifty
Then some one cried:--"Three hundred and fifty!"
Yes
"Three seventy-five!" 

"That's better, Mistah Jenkins,
Three seventy-five
Three seventy-five
Three hundred
"Three hundred!" he said. 
Yes
Mr. Jenkins winked at the auction joined in the laugh. 

"Three hundred!" he said. 
Eight hundred
shouted the auctioneer when he had finished his oration upon the girl's attractions, "what 'tin I bid? Eight hundred
Yes
whose voice rang clear and strong,-- "Four hundred!"
a young man with a determined face
a young man with a determined face, whose voice rang clear and strong,-- "Four hundred!"
Clarence Colfax
Clarence Colfax had his bid taken from his lips
a girl
He turned to the girl, who might have stood to a sculptor for a figure of despair.
Hester
Hester's breast heaved
No
from her black eyes there shot a magnificent look of defiance
defiant
 from her black eyes there shot a magnificent look of defiance
the white blood.
 That was the white blood. 
from her black eyes
from her black eyes there shot a magnificent look of defiance
a magnificent look of defiance
from her black eyes there shot a magnificent look of defiance
down
 Her hands were folded in front of her, her head bowed down
folded in front of her
Her hands were folded in front of her
No
The auctioneer was mortally offended