The girl, roused from the lethargy of her fever by the talking, held out her hands to Mrs. Campbell and in a voice broken by fear and sickness, pleaded:
"O, Lady! Take me away! You do not know what I am forced to endure. This man dragged me aboard and will sell me as a slave. I am very ill and so dirty. I cannot eat the food. Do not leave me in this place and with him. I am afraid."
"Dear, we have made him an offer and if he will sell, will give you a good home. He sees our hearts are moved and has raised the price he asked. Mr. Sebastian, the girl is ill and you will lose her if she is not given immediate attention. My husband will give you twelve guineas and we will move her at once."
"No. If you want her you must pay fifteen."
"Come Mary, that will do. Let the trafficker in human flesh keep her and bear the loss. Let him have the burden of her murder on his conscience."
"O, Lady! If you do not take me I shall not try to live. I would rather die than complete the voyage and be sold as a beast of burden. If you buy me I shall get well and be a faithful and willing servant."
Mrs. Campbell, stooping down, kissed the dirty face of the sick girl and whispered: "We have every intention of buying you. Refuse to eat anything except what I send you. I will send Richard down today with clean clothing and something nice to eat."
Within the hour Richard was sent to the hold with clean clothing, bed linen and some broth. The Spaniard took the articles saying:
"Hand them to me; you cannot go to my quarters."
As soon as Richard was out of sight he drank the broth; calling it sloppy stuff; and that evening sold the clothing and bedding to the wife of an emigrant.
The next day he told the girl: "Your fine friends have forgotten you. That is the way people do. Some old bachelor or an Indian chief will be glad to get you."
Each day Mrs. Campbell sent food to the girl and asked to see her, but Sebastian would not permit it. He ate the food himself or threw it away.
Several days later when he was showing his stock to one of the planters, he found the girl raving in delirium. Believing that she would die within a day or two, he hunted up Mr. Campbell and offered to sell her for twelve guineas.