Q: 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!"

1. Colfax
2. Three hundred and fifty
3. Yes
4. Three seventy-five
5. Three hundred
6. Yes
7. Eight hundred
8. Yes
9. a young man with a determined face
10. Clarence Colfax
11. a girl
12. Hester
13. No
14. defiant
15. the white blood.
16. from her black eyes
17. a magnificent look of defiance
18. down
19. folded in front of her
20. No

Numbered questions:
1. Who was the second person to bid?
2. What did he offer?
3. Did that make Jenkins get more serious?
4. What was his new bid?
5. What was his first?
6. Did he act goofy with his first?
7. What did the auctioneer suggest for the first bid?
8. Was there a fourth?
9. from who?
10. Who was getting ready to bid when this new man did?
11. What is being sold?
12. What is her name?
13. Is she scared?
14. How does she feel?
15. What does the auctioneer see that as?
16. How does she show it to him?
17. What kind of look does she give him?
18. Where was she looking before that?
19. where were her hands?
20. Does the auctioneer like the first bid?

Q: Washington (CNN) -- A former CIA base chief wanted by Italy and detained in Panama has been released, a State Department spokeswoman said Friday.

Robert Seldon Lady, who had been convicted by an Italian court for his role in a 2003 rendition case, was flying back to the United States.

"It's my understanding that he is in fact either en route or back in the United States. Beyond that I have no further details," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters.

In a 2009 trial, an Italian court convicted Lady and 22 others of abducting Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr, or Abu Omar, from the streets of Milan in 2003. Italian prosecutors said Abu Omar was nabbed by a CIA team working with Italian officials.

The trial was the first to deal with a practice that human rights groups call "extraordinary rendition." They say the United States has often transferred terrorism suspects to countries that practice torture.

Abu Omar, who was suspected of recruiting men to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan and was under heavy surveillance by Italy's intelligence agency, was transferred to Egypt and tortured, Italian prosecutors said.

A former senior CIA official said Lady is no longer with the CIA.

In the 2009 trial, the Italian court sentenced Lady to eight years in prison, prosecutor Armando Spataro said. The other Americans were sentenced to five years.

Each of the 23 Americans was ordered to pay 1 million euros (about $1.3 million) to Abu Omar, plus 500,000 euros to his wife.

1. Italy
2. the CIA
3. Robert Seldon Lady
4. no
5. convicted by an Italian court
6. yes
7. the Italian court
8. eight years
9. 2009
10. yes
11. The other Americans
12. yes
13. yes
14. Panama
15. yes
16. a State Department spokeswoman
17. Marie Harf
18. reporters
19. Friday.
20. 22

Numbered questions:
1. Who wants the chief?
2. Who did the chief work for?
3. What is his name?
4. Does he still work for the CIA?
5. Why did Italy want him?
6. Had he been sentenced?
7. By who?
8. What was his sentence?
9. When was the trial?
10. Was anyone else sentenced at the same time?
11. Who?
12. Was their sentence more lenient?
13. Did anyone know where Lady was?
14. Where was he being held?
15. Did they let him go?
16. Who announced that he was let out?
17. What was her name?
18. Who did she tell this to?
19. When?
20. How many other Americans were convicted with Lady?

Q: Li Na, who is a famous and wonderful tennis player, was born on February 26th , 1982 in Wuhan. She began to practice tennis at the age of 6, but read the following news: BEIJING--- China's first and only Grand Slam winner Li Na formally announced her retirement on Friday, leaving the Chinese tennis yearning for the next superstar. Following is part of her farewell and retirement letters: 2014 has become one of the most significant years in my career and my life. This year was full of amazing events, which included winning my second Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open and sharing the extraordinary experience with my country, my team, my husband and my fans. It was also a year filled with difficult moments, such as having to deal with the inevitable ----making the decision to end my professional tennis career. The breaking news lift her fans surprised, especially as it comes on the day when the Asian Games open in Incheon, South Korea, and the Wuhan Open debuts in Li's hometown. "I know Li Na went to Shanghai and Germany in summer to have her knees treated. But I know nothing about whether she is retiring," said Ma Keqin, chief of Hubei Tennis Sport Management Center, a government-backed body in Li's hometown that pays her salary. "I felt sorry for her when she withdraw from the US Open. She must have withdrawn from the tournament because her injuries were serious. I know her well. She's been tough since childhood. She will not quit unless there is no alternative," said Xia Xiyao, Li's coach in the 1990s." Li became an icon for Chinese sports after she won the 2011 French Open, the first Asian to win a Grand Slam singles title.

1. Li Na
2. At age 6
3. Tennis player
4. 2014
5. 1982
6. Wuhan
7. Xia Xiyao
8. French Open
9. Australian Open
10. Shanghai and Germany
11. In the summer
12. Hubei Tennis Sport Management Center
13. Ma Keqin
14. Nothing
15. Serious injuries
16. Her hometown
17. China
18. Li's hometown
19. South Korea
20. Li Na

Numbered questions:
1. Who announced their retirement?
2. When did she begin playing?
3. What is her job?
4. What year did she retire?
5. What year was she born?
6. Where?
7. Who coached her in the 90's
8. What did she win in 2011?
9. What about in 2014?
10. Where did she have her knees treated?
11. When?
12. What agency pays her salary?
13. Who is the Chief?
14. What does he know about her retirement?
15. Why did she quit the US Open?
16. Who funds the agency that pays her?
17. Where is it located?
18. Where was the Wuhan Open?
19. Where did the Asian Games open?
20. Who was the first Asian to get a Grand Slam singles title?