She is much younger and has had no infants. She should fetch a lot more." Certainly, she should fetch much more," said the dealer, "I could give you f...ur hundred for her today, or more if you fatten her up for a few months." And the other one?" That one I had for sale before. She was a war captive from Tirfil. The Emir came and saw her so I gave her to him," replied the auctioneer, bending the truth somewhat.Caroline had been impounded because she was not legally a slave at the time. The Emir. On top of that, we were disgusted by the overt signs of slavery everywhere we looked. At one point, we accidentally walked passed a slave auction in progress. We got out of there as fast as we could move.It took Capt. Johnson 12 days to come up with a full load of freight and passengers for the run to St. Louis. My wives agreed with me that we were glad to leave New Orleans behind. We had spent Christmas and New Year on the river, and actually felt like we were returning home when we set off to. Most of the rubble from the noble district streets had been cleared, and was now piled up alongside the sidewalks with the mounds of plowed snow. The bodies were obviously long-gone, and the blood had been washed away, but gashes and flame spots alongside the alley walls told the stories of battle. I wondered if the place would ever be truly washed of it. Still, the streetlamps had oil burning in them again, illuminating the boulevards in soft orange light. And there, at the very end of Flower. The door open, we enter withMichael punching in the floor number. Exiting on the top floor we walk ashort distance to the room. Using the key card Michael opens the doorand steps aside for me to enter, he walks in followed by the bellhop. Inotice a smile on the bellhop's face as he tries not to look me in theeye. Michael tips him for the baggage delivery telling him, "Maybe inthe future I'll let her work out a payment method." The suite is hugeand beautiful, probably larger than my home. .