There was nothing I could do. All that night I went in and out of the room, glad if they would let me bring them little things: water, a glass, a spoon. It made matters worse to find Nora praying loudly in the kitchen, and Silas, his lean face all broken up into soft lines of anxiety and sorrow, watching up with her. The news spread, in some indeterminable fashion. During the night, a number of the men on the plantation came to the door to ask for news. Peter had endeared himself to half Guayabal-- About three o'clock in the morning, worn out, I went into the bathroom for something for Bill. As I did not reappear with it he came to look for me presently, and found me, huddled against the wall, my hands at my throat, an abject picture of cowardice and fright. I was not alone in the room. A few yards away from me, on the tiled floor, a spider was sprawling, regarding me with almost human, terribly malicious eyes. The creature was as large as a tea-cup, black, horribly spotted with red, it's many legs twitching with vicious life. "Are you ill?" Bill asked as I pointed with a shaking hand to the spider, which at the sound of another step had taken itself quickly to another corner of the room. My husband put his arm about me, and conducted me safely to my own room, "You poor child!" was all he said, and closed the door into the bathroom. A few minutes later I heard him occupied in there, with what seemed, or sounded, like a golf-club. There was a scuffle. Once I heard Bill curse, and then finally silence. Presently, my door opened and Bill came in. "I've disposed of your visitor," he said, quite cheerfully. "Nasty mess. And Peter is better. He'll be all right, I'm sure, only we shall have to be very careful of him after this. And now, I want you to go to bed or I shall have another patient on my hands." I went to bed; but not until the rain came, about five, and Peter's room became quiet, did I fall into a troubled sleep. It was past noon before I woke. Sarah looking very tired came in with some coffee and the assurance that Peter was out of all danger and was sleeping quietly with the fever broken. "Oh, Sarah," I said, "you haven't had any sleep." "Dr. Denton sent me to bed at five," she answered, "but he never took his own clothes off until about eight. I slept in the guest room, the other side of Peter's, and when I woke, about seven, again, I got some coffee for him from Norah. And he left me with Peter then, and went into his own room." "Is he asleep now?" I asked getting out of bed. "No, for I heard the water running in his bath, half an hour ago." While I was dressing I heard Bill in Peter's room. Heard too, with what gratitude, Peter's own normal voice, weak but sane again. I slipped on a frock hastily and went in to them. Of the two, I thought that Bill looked the worst, very white and drawn. After luncheon when Wing had disappeared in the pantry, Bill told me that Peter had had a very close call.