Gerald Leslie and the engineer had passed a night of utter wretchedness.
All the ready money that the ruined planter could command consisted of a few thousand dollars, and Gilbert Margrave had only the sum which he had brought with him for his traveling expenses.
To communicate with England was impossible, though the young man had ample resources there; he had also letters of credit on a banking-house in New York, but he well knew that nothing but ready money could save Cora from her infamous persecutors.
The entire sum at his command was a little over twenty thousand dollars.
Gilbert Margrave was the first to bid.
"Five thousand dollars!"
"Six thousand!" cried Augustus Horton.
A laugh circulated among the assembly. "I guess you begun a bit too low, stranger," said one of the planters.
"Seven thousand."
"Ten!" cried Augustus.