The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-09-27
A SPIDERS STING.


It was downright hot and no mis-
take. Poor little Mrs. Robh gasped the
dinner time throughout-it was impos-
sible to eat. II one could only have
had Ice, or even something moderate
ly cold! But you can't get ice In Paso
del Mache, down below Vera Cruz,
where are the big plantations and the
"hot country" and II you are 90 unfor-
tunate as to be there during the hot
manths, why, you can only put a good
face ON 1t and pray for rain and the
cooler season.
Juan, who served the simple meal,
was airily clothed in simple, very SIM
pie white garments-two of them-and
even be, native Of the TERRA caliente
as he was, wore face the color of a
boiled lobster. and out Of the hearing
OF his mistress swore vigorously and
without ceasing. Without doubt 1t
was a relief to him when the sonora
pushed aside the fruit and left the din
ing room, unable to eat.
| Out on the veranda, Mrs. Robb stood
gazing without seeing anything. In
truth, the glare and the heat hurt her
eyes too badly for it. OF course it was
hot and glazing even at home now; but
how different! On the lawn, in the
magnolia groves, and on the banks of
the lake one could at least get wee bit
Of breeze; here the air seemed dead,
No wonder the administrator wife, q
Northern woman and unused to tropi-
cal weather, had lost her reason tho
year before.
OF course, Robb could not leave the
plantation on account of the newly
planted trees. But his wife could have
gone home, and every one wondered
that she had not done SO. But Mrs.
Robb had many old-fashioned ideas to
which she chung with startling persist !
ence for SO small and slight woman.
Mrs. Robb was very happy, in spite
OF all. Nothing, not even the tremen-
dous heat, could have made her COM
plain. But the truth was that two
days before Robb had received mys-
FERROUS summons-he said it came from
Coekerell, brother planter-necessi-
tating his immediate departure. He
had seemed greatly disturbed, and told
his wife that he hight be away two
days at the most. This was the third
day, and he had not returned. Mrs.
Robb understood her husband too we'll
to send mozo out to find if anything
had happened: she could only wait.
Fortunately the Mexican servants wor-
shipped her, and even in the case of
thieves, no one would harm her.
Some time later Mrs Robb decided
that she would fill In few hours until
her husband returned-surely he would
soon be back-with home letters. Ac-
cordingly, she shut out the glazing
light from her own bedroom, and set
tied down with desk and lately receiv-
ed letters, to write her sister at school
In France and the other one now with
a gay party in the Blue Ridge Noun
tains.
One can't think or compose well dur
ing the hot weather in the Mexican
tropical country. Hence 1t was that
Mrs. Robb soon found herself dreaming
bout those same Blue Ridge Mountains
where she first met and loved Robb,
they were living In the pretty little
hummer cottage, which her family, the
aavenels, owned there. Robb was, as {
lie said, having his last fling" before ]
'uryirg himself in the Mexican wilds {
te did not say that his family were '
ending him there for the purpose of |
citing rid Of him and the good-sized
ebts which he would contract for
heir ultimate payment.
There 'ad been other men, of course.
Or Dorothy Ravenel, with her charm
1g ways and chic, half-French beauty.
'as admired everywhere. And every !,
ne wondered at her marrying Ernest :.
Obj, who had no money to speak of. .
brains-merely good-looking, rath- y
rowdy fellow. But Dorothy didn't -
IRE for the opinions of others. She =.
wed Robb and proposed to marry -
IN. whether her guardians withheld ("
leir consent and hsr goodly little for
me or not.
She wasn't sorry, as she thought over
all, alone in the Mexican hacienda; al
nest had his faults, Of course, but it al
de no difference. For the man you a.
e you can make many excuses. And 81
n of Inv hap phA
t. pt
he sprang up and gathered together hi
heavy hair as light tap sounded SC
he door. 1t was Juan, with tiny
led scrap of paper in his hand.
that the senior perhaps
pped." he explained. 1T was lying so
he patio. Perhaps 1t was of import en-
Q to the senor." sa u
ot knowing what 1t was, Mrs. Robb thi
olded the paper, as Juan shut the tic
r and went back to his work. Not 90
Of curiosity; the opening and read
of her husbands letters was an un-
wn thing to Dorothy Robb. She
not even know that 1t was letter M
Ter husbands; more probably it DO:
memorandum about the coffee
or the peon laborers. ~
wo hours later Mrs. Robb still sat cuI
ionless on the same lounge, with Li'
same scrap of paper tightly crum-
In her hand. She seemed dazed- nv,
able to understand. The note was the
panish; her knowledge Of tho Lam VIII
n Maa GOOD h,,f ohh u,o,,1d mt