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“Is this your last word 2” he de- manded, drawing back and looking at her, his face still turned from Floris. “Yes, my last, Bruce,” {altered Lady Blanphe. There was a. basket of flowers on the table, and Lady Blanche was making a faint pretence of arran - ing them, but her whole attitu e was eloquent of impatience and deep-rooted anxiety. “No, no, no!” she panted. "I will not, I cannot! Go back, Bruce, go back and rejoin the party; make any excuse you like for .your ab- sence! I will not go with you. 4» cannot! I was wrong and wicked tJ promise! But, thank Heaven, it is not too late! Go back, Bruce! Weâ€"éweâ€"shall always be friends. Yew-you will be happy with her, pop: girlâ€"â€"â€"â€"” “‘Too latel” he echoed. “It is not too late!‘ You speak only of yourself and her. You do not think .of me. Do you forget that you are bidding me ruin my whole life? That you are sending me to marry a girl I do not love, whom I shall learn to hate? Come, Blanche, I cannot endure this life of“deceit any longer! There must be an end to it sooner or later, and this is the best end. The world may talk let it! You and I don’t care for the world! and as to Floris, she will soon learn to forget me. Hea- ven may send her a better man; it night do that easily enough, good- ness knows! Come, Blanche, get your: things, evorything is geady.’: A}; the sight of her Floris drew back with a long breath of fear and doubt. V At every step Josine was makâ€" ing good her words, was producing evidence of the truth of her story. Hé stood for a moment as if pon- iprmg on some way to shake her “Is mwdemoisello satisfied so far 2” she whispered, close in Floria’s ear. “Here 13 Lady Blanche, as I promised she would be, waiting-waiting for whom? We shall see! Hushl’i “Bruce, I cannot!” she anted, with a. sudden gesture of espair. “I cannot do it. You ask too much. Oh, Bruce! think what all this means. Think of the scandal andâ€"and think of her. Poor girl! myâ€"rmy heart bleeds for her! No, Bruce, I cannot do it. I love you, and you know it; but you ask too much! You must, marry Floris Carlisle, Bruce! I!) is too late to draw back now I” _ Her heart gave a. great bound of dread and doubt, then seemed to stand still, for the door opened and ficrd Norman, as she thought, onflaered hurriedly and went up to Lady Blanche. _ Floris uttered a cry; for a mo- ment she did not move, she simply stood as if turned to stone, and gazed into the dusky room. Then she stagger-ed and would have fal- lenhbut Josine caught her with one hand, and with the other, with all a. Frenchwoman’s‘ ready wit, dashod her hondkerchief in a foun- tain and held it to Floris’ forehead. As she spoke Floris heard a man’s footstep approaching the room from the other side. As he entered, Lady Blanche started and turned toward him. “Have you come back? O’n, why did you ’l" she murmured, and her voice was so low and tremulous that Floris 009191 scarcely cafichfifiz Lady Blafic'he shrank slightly. gloris noticed it with a vague won- er. “Blanche! dear Blanche! there is no time to lose 1” he went on, still in the husky voice which Floris scarcely recognized as Bruce’s. “The horses are waiting, all is ar- ranged! Why are you not ready? You promised me that you would be {'eady to start!” . “Yes, I have come back,” she heard him say; hu'skily, as if he were laboring under great excite- ment. “I said that I would do so. .Why are you so surprised to see me? Did you think I should break my_wprd, glanche 2”. _ “And you are not glad to see me! Ah, Blanche, you will not fail me l~ Think of all I am risking for your sake, my good name and fame, my very honor! Come, lanche, tell me that you are stead- astl” and he put his‘lhand on her- aqn yleaiilngly. ""1. hbp’eof y'au’ would not come,” she faltered. Fighting Life’s Battle; CHAPTER XVI.â€"â€"(Cont.'d) LADY BLANCHE’S BITTER PUNISHMENT A few miufites afterward Jesine ,‘ game 111. ' And with this prayer in her wounded‘f heart, she rose, and in duil, numbed fashioxr, began me- aitffimanically collecf her cl‘othe‘s: (l-al‘K, uarx JJCLUI'U 1151'} P ,1,“ “If I could die now,” she murâ€" muredâ€"~“if I had died last night, before I knew of this! But no, I shall not die, I shall live and su£~ ferâ€"suffer! There will be no for- getfulness for me; all my life I shall carry this sorrow with me; all my life will he embittered by the memory of these few short, happy weeks! Oh, Bruce! Bruce! if you had but left me aloneâ€"if you had but had mercy on me. But you had none. Heaven knows I avoided you. I did not, as other women had done, set a snare for your love. A hundred times I fought against it; but you had no mercy; you taught me to love you, and now it is too late to unlearn that lesson. Oh, Bruce, may Heaven forgive you Emmay Heaven deal more kind- ly with you than you have dealt with me I" Like a lost soul thrust from para- dise, she groped in the darkness of her misery, and could see no ray of light or hope; all her future lay dark, dark .hqfoge her! __ . «w “Bruce! There is some one com- mgt Go, go at once! If the serâ€" vants see you_hereâ€"â€"â€"â€"-” With a smothered oath the man who was so like Lord Norman that even Floris could not in the dim light distinguish between them, seized his hat and Whip and strode from the room; and Lady Blanche, almost as if she had suddenly grown suspicious of listeners, glided to the curtains and let them fall over the opening. _ ‘ I r N, J4. Floris, left alone, sat for some minutes in thevsame half~stupefied condition. At present she could scarcely grasp all that had hap- pened; but with every minute it was growing upon her, and she :was learning to realize that her lover, the man she had lovedâ€"alas! still lovedâ€"~had adored, had looked up to as something more than hu- manâ€"Was false, unutterably false and base,.and that he had been guilty of treachery so vile as to be almost inconceivable. resolufion, then suddenly Lady Blanche seized his‘arm. With slow, weary steps Floris made her way to her room, Josine following her, and shrank exhaust edApponfche b-ed.‘ I !,U1 w “rm. . That there had been any foul play she never suspected for a, mo- ment. The resemblance bat-ween Oscar Raymond and Lord Norman was so close that it had deceived many of Lord Norman’s intimate friends in broad daylight, and the room in which the little comedy had been enacted was but dimly “It is all right, miladi; we have succeeded capitally. Ah, but mi- ladi should have been an actress! She almost deceived Josine, much less the ppo‘r M-iss Carlisle.” -‘°‘I’ ’__"’O ' “How dare you come hereâ€"” she began, then her voice failed and her eyes drooped before the 0001, black ones. “Well?” she asked, glooxgily. “Will mademoiselle permit me to get her a glass of water?" Josine inquired, in a low voice. Floris shook her head. “How soonâ€"can I leave?” she asked, painfiully: 1 Ir" ------- 0 J osine pricke glapfied atfihtf,‘ clocl-zl. (i up her ears, and " 7’ ' Lady _j3fafiche was seated at her 'table with her proud head bowed in her hands. 7 "AH-girifirg Josine’s step, she startâ€" ed and rose up, facing her with angrj indjgnatxon. “ Joéi’n; smile& and shrugged her shoulders. “Egg-finale comedyâ€"or tragedy was over. ‘ WY‘Y‘l‘here is the Vtifternoon mail,” she said: “But? hill not mademoi~ ton '1” “No, no!” respon’i‘ed Floris, with a. shudder. "I wish to see no one. I wish to go before they returnâ€"at once. Will you”â€"â€"she hesitated; she hated asking this girl to do anything for her, for she loathed her with a loathmg'that was un- accountable to herâ€"“will you see if I can do so {2” t J osine sftVole out of the room and went swiftly to Lady Blanche’s, and with a slight knock she gntgrgd.‘ CHAPTER XVIII “Mademoisellé'l” h'ev repeated. “Who ’2” and he went to the win- dow and ther saw Floris. As she did so a gentleman rushed out of the station with a sandwich in his hand. and had almost passed Josine on his way to his carriage when he saw hgar and stqpped short. “Tirfiefs up, my lord!” said the gumde w_hc_) kgeviv Bel-pip wpll. “All right,” he said; “one mo- ment.” ‘ _ ‘ Then he turned ‘to Josine. v “Are you going up to t0wn'l You had better get in 2” - ‘ “No; no! It is mademoisellle!‘ returned J aging, with agitation. “Good~bye, mademoiselle! You ~â€"you~will not forget your promise to 9091' Jogin‘q ?” A Fâ€"loris looked at her vaguely, then she shook her head and turned “‘7‘?!- The guard blew his whistle; and Josine stepped back. A “Josine!” he exclai'med. “Is that you?” Josineâ€"her nerves were getting unstrung~utyt§11ed a cry. “Milofii Cliffordel’fshe cried, turning pale. Floris got in, and would have gone without a. word, but Josine leaned forward and said, with a quiver in her voice, which might have been due to remorse, but was more probably caused by excite- ment: “i will not forgét. No!” she said. Presenth the train came up. It was an express from the far north, and several passengers got out to stretch their legs for a moment or two. v Josine had taken a firstâ€"class tick- et and found an empty compart- ment. ' “Tut! tut! but that is bad news! But it may not be that; the poor lady is dying. Oh, mademoiselle makes too much of it; she sees the worst.” “There!” said Josine with a, ges- ture of satisfaction. “All is ready! And now”â€"she left the room and returned almost immediately with a. glass of wineâ€"“mademoiselle mu-stdrink this, just to please poor Joaine l” she pleaded, as Floris re- fused it with a. shake of the head. “Ah, but yes; mademoiselle must not count too much on her strength! Supposing she should break down and have to be, carried back! Ah, but that would be dreadful!” sh: The brougham door was shut with a bang and the pair of horses dash ed toward the station. - Floris shrank into a corner and sat with clasped hands and closed eyes, and Josine was too Wise to utter a word. “Myv mather 1” g'asped poor Floris. “My mother is illâ€"â€"-dying! quAickA! I_m_u_st go_ at pnce_!” I Josine held 115 her hands, with a. French oath, and hurried forward wiflL Floris’ jacket and hat: “Yes, yes!” exclaimed Josine, genuinely anxious, for she dreaded lest some one should return, and a. ‘scene’ be the result. “Yes, yes! but for the love of Heaven, be calm, mademoiselle! It may not be so bad; and think, it was impossible for mademoiselle to leave earlier! Ah but I am 59 spay}? Josine caught up her own cloak and bonnet, which she had brought in with her- Floris stretched out her hand for the glass with a. shudder. Josine watched herras she drank the wine and then, and not till then, drew the telegram from her pocket. “Sac, mademoisellei" she said, smoothly. “This has ust come; I hope it is not bad news!" “Read 1” panted Floris. “It says ‘Come at once!’ Come at once, and I am hundreds of miles away! Oh, Heaven! what shall I do? What shaél I do? Quick! or I shall go ma 1” Floris scarcely heard her. With feverish eagerness.she 'hurried on her things, and made Straight for the door. ' ‘5de news. Madémoiselle- is summoned home!” “Ah, that is better 1” she said, enéOuragingly.» “Mademoiselle is recovering! Sch, sch! But made- moiselle must restrv-Josine will see to the packing for her.” Floris took it apathetically, and cpened it, then started up with a. wild cry. . “Heavens, mademoiselle! What Is it?" _exclaimed Josine, with ad- miraibly feigned apxiety. “And Lady Pendletonâ€"â€"the mes- saggy) And, â€"with nbiseless readiness, she began to fill the large imperial. Floris sank on to the bed and watched her with listless apathy. _It is well understood'that to give [plenty of milk a cow must have With. silage the temperature makes little difference if it does not reach the point where it freezes I have found in the feeding of pump- kins that we can feed about forty pounds, per day per cow to advant- age, and with some cows the milk production will be greatly increasâ€" ed. I have, however, had occasion- al cows where the effect of feeding pumpkins was to cause the cows to lay on fat and decrease their milk production. There are very few experiments to which we can point relative to the value of feeding pumpkins. In one experiment that I have in mind that was a gain of six per cent. more milk when pumpkins were fed than before they were admitted into the ration. There is no better place to plant pumpkin seed than in the corn field. The corn field, or a proportion of it, is just the place for them. Seeds placed in alternate hills of the same row of corn will give ample room for the growth ofthe vines, and they will usually bear well. The great advantage about feeding rpum-pkins is that the ,men who have‘no silos can feed them, and nearly all men who keep cows have no silos. lw++++++4+++++++m ' PUMPKINS AS COW FEEL. In all of the Eastern States where pumpkins are extensively grown they are used for cow. feed in the late fall and early winter months, and as long as they can be kept without deterioration. Pos- sibly they could be kept all winter under proper conditions of storage, but they are such a bulky food that a very large place is required to store enough of them to last a large herd through the winter months. They are not only hollow inside, but their round shape make; them spaceâ€"consumers in storage. I re- gard the pumpkin as equivalent tn silage for feed, but when we have the problem of feeding man cows itis much easier to build a ii a that will hold several tons of silage than to build a receptacle for several tons of pumpkins, writes Mr J. I‘. Fletcher: Moreover, the pumpkins must be cold enough to prevent them from decaying, for the air will get into any receptacle in which they can be placed. “Well, that was a great person- age, air. It was Milord Clifforde,” said Josine, with an air of import- ancec ‘ “011, was it?" said the man, grimly. “Well lord or no lord, he hadn’t any business to keep the train waltipg.” ' “Parbleu!” she murmured. “It is likely that Milord Norman will not believe poor Josine. Soh! my friend the porter will bear witness that; Miss Carlisle went 'off with Milord Cliffqrdel Bah! but Miladi Blanche is not so clever as I think her if she cannot make something Josine stood looking after the train with a bewildered stare for quite a minute. Then a curious expression gradually crept into her black eyes. An idea, was develop- ing‘itself in her acuto brai‘n. of that l” But: she paused there and réturn- ed to the station and accosted the sleepyAporter: . . “Did you 'sea that gentleman who accompanied the young lady who departed just now, sir ’1” she asked with smooth politeness.’ VH1 ++ tiff! fittflffflf EAbuut tha Farm? “It. is Miss Catfish!” he said. “And she is going up>to London alone!” - . He opened the door of Fioris’ car- riage, nodded to the guard, and at the train startedh jumpe_d in. _ Floris and Lord Clifforde, who had been her lover, leaving Ballyâ€" floe together! Surely that fact would fit into the plot. With a, smile on her lips she nod- ded approvingly, then turned and slowly went bach to the brpugham. 7 The man stared at; her. Oh, yes, he had seen him. “Certainly not!” said Josine. "Good-mornmg, S111.” “Why?” he demanded, with a troubled frown. Josine hit. her lib. “Go, milord!” she said. "The train will start without you.” from her to Josiné. “We really must be starting, my lord!” said the guard coming up asaip- ' “EKYes, yes!» said Josine’ minimal- 1y '7 .__‘_‘.A191_18_; milprd 1” ~ * Then she retluli'ned to the brough- With a suddep-pallor he looked SMALL PRACTICAL SILO. (To be continued.) Unless you have more spage time than you know what to do with it’s foolish to try, to convince ar fool that; he is foolish.’ The new British whiskey duty is having a. striking effect in reduc- ing drunkenness and crime in Scot- land, as is shown by returns \pro- duced in the House of Commons last week by the Lord Advocate. The Budget resolutions raising the du-. ties on Whiskey were passed on April 29. During the two following months of May and June, the less- ened consumption following on the rise in price brought down the ap~ prehension for drunkenness in Scot- land from 4,361 in May, 1908, to 2,- 965 in May, 1909â€"8: fall of 32 per centâ€"and from 4,404 in June, 1908, to 2,872 in June, 19094-3; fall of 34 per cent. The commitals to prison fell from 1,578 in May, 1908, to 1,- 138 in May, 1909, a decline of 28, per cent, and from 1.742 in June, 1908, to 1,134 in June, 1909, a. fall- ing off of 34 per cent. So marked and sudden a reduction in drunk- enness appears to be almost un- paralleled in the history of the country, and can only be traceable to the rise in the price of liquor. Breed for utility every time. I Too many of our so-oalled professâ€"g sional breeders have become crankyi yupon certain fancy points and! loose sight of everything else ini ,their efforts to stamp uniformity: 0E_ma.rkings in their_ herds. Lice take the life right, out of; hogs. They can not grow; they! cannot take a. minute's comfort. with them. Spray, if you can’t, dip. Even an old broom dipped} in, spraying solution is better than nothing. Less Drunkenness and Crime in, Scotland. Take care not to allow food to sour in the pig troughs. Feed just what the pigs Will eat up clean; if any, remayns qlqan it gut._ Feed the young .pigs whole oats or. a, platform in an enclosure by themselves. “This question comes to me again as it has many times before. he answer, like many others of like nature, depends largely on the men. For some with one cow it would be a practical thing to sink a molasses hogshead in the round and fill it lwith cut corn. ts practicability would depend upon the amount of roughage available, and the lack of other succulent foods, as Well as the means at hand for growing the corn, and putting it into the silo. Now these same principals obtain in every ease up to ten coWs. After that in any case where corn will grow, and the silage milk can be sold. I believe it is not a. question ‘Can I afford a silo‘l’ but ‘Cen l afford not to have one'l’ The aver age feeding season is about five months, or 150_days._ The ordinary: ....v......., V- _, cow will eat about forty pounds of silage daily, or three tons in this period; ten cows mean thirty tons. (1 round silo twenty feet deep (It do not‘believe it wise- to have one: of less depth), and twelve feet across would hold thirtyâ€"eight tons, allowing for settling, would mean, just about thirty tons actual. One: the same height and fourteen feel;l in diameter would hold fifty tons,§ 'about forty actual after settling} This would cost but} at t_rifle moral to build, and would hold enough; more for a. longer season, moref cows or summer feeding, either of these certainly a practical thing.” The hog lots should be dry. Burn over the feeding places at least once a year: > _ WI-vlvogé ghould have plenty of clean water to drink and their feeding troughs shquld in; kept'clean: " "hr? meal can be fed in shallow troughs; _hog_§ c_hew.it well. Charcoal, sulphur and salt should be kept in every pen and hog lot”: as they are correctives and are; ‘l'elished by the h9g5. Every fajrmer should have a few well bred hogs as they are waste savers. 7 Wfien't’hevlittle pigs are weaned put the sow out of their hearing for a. while. succulent food. Grass meets the! need from late spring to early £8.11," and silage in the winter months.,' But can a. farmer or a, dairyman? having from one to ten cows only «allow! a silo, and what is the smaH lest silo that will prove practical? This questionhas been propound‘ ed by a, contemporary, and a. cond tributor. Mr. Edward Van Alstynel has tried to answer it. It will ro-[ bably be too late to build a 3i 0â€"; at least ihâ€"by the time this artielel ix read. Nevertheless, this is not: the last year in which such-things: are needed, and Mr. Van Alstyne’s:l suggestions should be remembered; They are : 1 THE WHISKY DUTY. BRISTLE S;