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She looked at him for a moment with a very wild, increaulous stare, then laughed a suppressed laugh of much scorn and dqfiance. ~ “This night, Lady Blanche, Lord Norman must be told all that you and I have done.” é“Wha.t!” she gasped. ' “This night he must be shown how cruel an injustice has been wrought an innocent girl; he must bu told that it W35: you who were false, {and not Floris Carlisle!” “What do yBu mg‘an ?” She 'ésketi, in a voice of suppressed anger and doubt. “What is hard? Why do you. talk and look so strangely?” she de- manded, trying to speak haughtily, but trembling. ' “Since I left you in England, carrying the price of my treachery with me, I have been living the life of a gambler. I have been like one drifting toward the whirlpool of de» struction, conscienceless ~â€" without remorse; but a hand was stretched out to save me! To-day, Lady Blanche, for the first time, I have seen the cruelty and vilencss of our work in its true colors. It is as if a veil had been‘ torn from before my eyes and the true meaning‘of what we. conspired to do, and did, was revealed to me. Lady Blanche, you asked me when last we met if I had not remorse. I laughed the question away. It is my tum to ask you if? you feel nonel’f “It has fallen upon me, it; will {all upon you. Thank Heaven, while you have time that it is not too late to repair your evil work!” _“Tha'nk Heaven that you are not married to Bruce Norman! The task would have been. a. tho‘usand times harder for you if you had been; it is plenty hard enough now!” Sh‘e madé a gesture in the negaâ€" tive. L ‘ She looked at his haggard face, with its deep lines telling of dissi- pation and remorse; at the white hair which, when she had last seen him, was black as Lord Norman’s; afi the, cavernous eyes gleaming with a, feverish intensity of purpose. . “It Lis here, all of it! Take it! It has been a curse to me. Look at me, Lady Blanche, and see that I will speak the truth I” He thrust his hand into his breast as he quickly spoke, and drew a Ieathern case out. “What do you mean ‘1” she Said, trying to look him down, to awe him with the cold hauteur which was her second nature; but the dark eyes did not flinch, the hard, hollow voice did not falter. Like some prophet of old he stood before her, unyielding, implacable. “Why did you follow me here to the hotel? Dc you want money? If so you shall have it; I will send it to you. Every moment you remain here is one of peril. Lord Norman is with me. He will return immediately, and if he finds you-â€"â€"â€"” He did not seem to be listening. “Money!” he said, as if that word alone had caught his ear; “I have sold my soul for money. Judas brought back his bloodâ€"stained; gold; I bring you back yours, Ladyl Blanche.” " “Keep away from England,” be! He eyed her listlessly, wearily, said, and his voice sounded dull and with the same set look of resoluâ€" hollow. “Is this England? I have tion. ‘ - not sought you, you have followedI “Yes, I have met her,” he said; me. It is the hand of fate! If ‘Igand for the first time a faint touch had not seen you to-night I should ‘ of color came into his face. “I have have been a hundred miles away.‘seen her, and I love her!” It is fate! We played with it for “You love her!” she echoed. some time, trod it under foot, and “I love her. =Do not; misunderâ€" laughed at it; it is fate’s turn now stand me, Lady Blanche. I love to laugh at us, to tread us underther without hope! I am content to its avenging feet. Lady Blanche,’love her so that -I can make her I the Whirligig of time brings its own reparation. It is all I have to live rev‘enges; it has brought vengeance for, and I will do it.” upon usâ€"â€"” There was silence for a. moment. “What do you mean ‘1” she Said, “What do you wish to do ’2” she trying to look him down, to aweaslred, almost inaudibly. “Why are you here?” she\de- mgzqged. “You promised toâ€"” __-_ .v..., as if he were looking through her, like a. man playing some difficult part, and trying to remember it. The look haunted her for years afterward. . ‘ “What are you doing here 1” she gasped. “What do you want with me ?” He looked down at hgr with a. fixefi, intent egprpgsionion his face, Lady Blanche, recoiling against the balcony, gazed up ,at the wan, haggard face with the black, somber eyes glowing like lamps amid its whiteness. Fighting Life’s Battle; CHAPTER XXXI 01:. um BLANCHE’S m'r'r'm PUNISHMENT ‘ Floris arose the next morning, aft-er a sleepless night, during which He laid his hand on ‘her head for a moment, pityingly, forgivingly, and when a moment afterward she raised her heavy eyes, he was gone! “Blanche,” heeaid, in so low a tone. of voice that she could scarceâ€" ly hear him; “I have seen Floris; I have learned all that this man would have forced you to'tell me. There is no need that you should speak a word. Get up now_ and go to your room. I shall go aWay from this place, this hotel, at once, and will leave a letter for your father telling him that ‘the‘tlie engageâ€" ment is broken off byâ€"mutual icon~ sent. There need be, nothing more said on either side. Heaven for- give you, Blanche, for this that you have doneâ€"forgive. you as Inand sheâ€"forgive you I” ~ “You havé given me all the satis- faction it is posmbkz for you to render,” said Bruce, in a low, steady voice. “I have no wish to kill you; I yield you your life andâ€"â€" remorse. \GQ!” - . Oscar Raymond bent his head and mgved away. LordNorman waited until his footsteps had died away, then he piéked up the leatheru case and dropped it at Lady Blanche’s feet. Slowly he raised his hand and pointed to the staircase. “You may go!” he said, quiet-1y. Oscar Raymond lifted his dark eyes calmly, almost solemnly. “Is that all? I am ready to give you any satisfaction you may deâ€" mand. We are in a foreign land, my lord-â€"â€"â€"” “Iâ€"I cannot do it!” she wailcd. "I cannot do it!” “There is no need!” said a voice adj-her side, and starting, she turnâ€" er} and saw Lord Norman standing in the. open window. Lady Blanche glanced at his face, saw that he had heard all, and flinging her hands before her eyes, crouched down as if he had struck her; but Oscar Raymond stood firm and folded his hands across’ his breast. His‘ face was very pale and stem, but there was a light in his eyes, a reflection of relief and hope, which had been strangers to them for a long time. Lord Norman looked from one to the other. 7 She lookéd at him with murder glgqming in her velvety eyes. 7 If she; had had a @eipun, she wwld have struck him down then anrdithere’ without pity or fear. “Perhaps. I thought that you would prefer that he should hear the story from your lips. You know best which will be the Less bitter course for you.” “There are two courses,” he said, in the slow, grave voice. “Either you must make your confession to Lord Norman, or leave it to me. I care not which it is.” “He will kill you!” she panted. He shrugged his shoulders with absolute indifference. Ee dropped the leather-n case at her feet with a dull, grim apathy. She started. “If it is not money, what is it you went?” she said. “You will not deceive me with this rant! You forget that I am acquainted with your love of the melodramatic. This is. I suppose, a piece of playâ€"acting for my special behoof and amuse- ment, orâ€"” she turned pale, and her eyes flashedâ€"“you have met with Floris. Carliele and betrayed me! Is that it? She has bought 'you over â€" perhaps promised you halfof Lord Norman’s wealth. Is‘ that it? You have met her?” I “I see! You want more money.” CHAPTER XXXII. “And so you were running away from me, were you 2” he said, hold- ing her hands and looking into her eyes with'the fire of excitement and happiness in his. “Running away from mew-was that fair? Oh, my darling, how can I tell you ?â€"â€"the words tremble on my lips! My heart is so full of joy and happi- nessw” ‘ , ' “Bruce!” ' - “Yes, so full that I can scarelv “Yes, so full that I can scarely wait for the words that must be spoken. Floris, since I saw you last He drew her arm within his, and led her under the trees, out of sight of the qurioxis wide open eyes of the man and maid. “Signor, the horse l” shl'i-eked the coachman, but it was too-late, the sagacious animal, having had quite enough work for that day, laud swung around and was off in a good round trot for Florence. “Never mind,” said Lord Bruce, with a short laugh; “it does not matter. Nothing, matters now, Floris! Hush! not a word yet.” He got down and opened the door, and held her hand even after she had alighted, forgetting his horse. : “I willâ€"shortly,” he said, in a strange voice, with a sfirange light in his eyes. “Come into the road fol~ a. moment or two.” “I cannot speak to you there. Will you come out? I Inqu speak to you! Ah, Why did you run away from me?” Bruce 1” He lean'ed fox‘ward'and laid his 11399. on the carriage door. “Because I knewâ€"-I felt-I was afraid you wnuld come to see me_, a:nd~â€"-â€"” she said faintly, in ‘31 troubled voice. “Oh, go back, “It is a. horseman, signorita, and 11b is riding fast. The poor horse is panting. It is not a holiday for him, poor wretched beast!” t.th hext instant the horseman was beside the carriage, and Floris heard her name spoken. She looked up arid met hei‘ lover’s eyes fixed on her, and her heart gay-g a great bound. “Brucvel” she whisperéd, joyful- ly yet reprca-chfully. “Oh, Bruce, have you done this ’2” Flofis nodded; she scarcely heard what the child was saying, but sud- denly the‘coachnlqn gulled up, and "“There is some one on the road besides ourselves this morning, sig- norita. Perhaps they, tpo, are tak- ing a, holiday.” I “Perhaps-,iMaric,” said / Floris quite dreamily. The girl leafied forward and 100k- ed back. ~ Slowly the carriage ascended the bills, the driver singing below his voice, the maid delighted with her holiday, chatting lightâ€"heartedly. Pregehtly theimgfcilfi stopped alier prattle, andjput hcr’head on one side. ' Floris promised that she would, and went upstairs and packéd a bagwith a few things she required; then she made a faint pretense at breakfttst, and in an hour had start- ed with a little’maid who was a favorite of hers. The morning passed in a dreamy kiggi of way for Floris. “011,, very well, my dear. You had better take one of the girls with you. And, by the way, you might gather some of the crested fern for me, you know; keep it as coolas you can, will you? And if you should happen to see any speci- mens of”â€"here followed a. dozen long Latin namesâ€"“you might bring them also.” He» would nbt remain Lin Fldgence long; she thought. “Into the hills. I shall only want a gay or _tyvo,” she explained. ' Floris was staggered for a mo- ment. The old lady was in bedâ€"éhe sat up too late over her precious books to be an early riserâ€"and was made to understand that Floris wanted a holiday, and at once. “Wliere are you going, my dear 7” she said. Pale and sad, and'yet with a traco‘of the great joy shining in her lovely eyes, she went to Mrs. Sin- clair’s room. She would leave Florence that morning, would put it out of his power to break his word to Lady Blanche. i That was her grief; but he loved her still, he had not been false to her; that was her joy; and her joy in the knowledge of his truth and constancy far outweighed her grief a»: the loss of him. And he was here in Florence. She knew him well enough to know that he would not relinquish her without another attempt; she felt certain that A she must place temptation beyond“ his reach. She had lost him, he bed gone from her forever, and he would marry Lady Blanche. she had lain awake possessed in one moment with a, poignant grief and the next with a. subdued joy. “Oh, well,” he mused." “I had rheumatism in that leg, anyhow.” “A shark bit youâ€"r log off,” said the nurse. ' - “Why Pelago?” he‘snid, smoothâ€" ing her hair. "Why not come back to Florence with 1110'! You don’t want a holiday now, seeing that you will have such 73 big one alto- gether directly! Besides, unless you take me back to Florence how am I to get there? My horse bolt- ed, you know!” “What happened to me ‘2” asked the Chronic Optimist, when he woke up in the hospital. ed, you know!” . “I had forgotten that,” she said, with another blush, and only too ready to accept the offered excuse. “Of course I must take you back I” “Bruce, dear, we must go on,” ,she said, with a blush, and a glance at her watch. “I hadâ€"had quite forgotten everything! Have we been hours in this dear little wood, or only minutes? We must go on ta'Pelago.” They forgot the coéchman and litâ€" tle Marie, but those two individuals resigned themselves to the circum- stances with admirable philosophy; the coachman' drew his horse into thehhade, and, lighting a cigar, flung himself, Italian-like, into the sun, and went to sleep, and Marie gathered some flowers and made a posie “for the Signorita when she should come back.” And at last Floris remembered where she was. ' In low, endearing ton’es he told her over and over again. all that had happened, dwelling on the mis- cry and helpless despair; and mak- ing all the points that had seemed so dark, clear and intelligible; and every now and again he stopped and‘ looked at her face, ay, and kissed it, as if he, too, felt there was something too marvelous in his good fortune for it he be quite real. With his arm arouhd her waist they walked through the woods, her head resting on his -sh.ou‘1der, her eyes suffused with the tears which sprang from arjoy almdst too in- tense for endurance. It had come so suddenly, this flood of light after darkness, that she felt bewildered and dazzled. Could it be true? “My darling!” he murmured. “And it is you, you who have really savecl us both; after all! If he had not seen you, we should still bcâ€"â€"~. Oh, I cannot think of it! Oh, my darling, my Floris, once again and forever. Let us thank Heaven humbly and meekly for its mercy! A few days more and all would have been lost; there would have been a gulf between us which death only could have bridgedâ€"and now, death only can divide us!” and with a cry of almost solemn joy, he strained her to his bosom. “Shall I tell you, Bruce?” she whispered; then with her hand up- on his shoulder, she made the last portion of the mystery clear. “All this I heard last nightifrom their own lips. One thing only is a mystery to me still, and that is the cause of the repentance -â€" that is will an enigma, Floris.” And in swift; hurried words he tok} I161: _the_3 _whol§a 7 story. “You sâ€"eâ€"e, darling,” he cried, “it is allrclear now, is it not?” For a moment her brain swam, and he put his arm around her and held her close to him or she would have staggered. . [ “No,” he said, gravely; "it is ‘nct. Look at the back, you will find the name written there, Floris. It is the portrait of a man who for purposes of his own passed himself off on you for me. Look at the name, please.” ._ She turned the card. “Oscar Raymond to Lord Nor- man” was written on it. “Yesâ€"~15 is! But, butâ€"” she raised her eyes to his face, "is it not you, Bruce ‘2” - A bewildered expression came intq_her eyes. It was a, portrait of Oscar Ray- mond, which he had found among the papers packed in one 0f. his portmanteaus. ‘ ' "You are sure you would know my face again?” with a strange laugh. “Seeâ€"43 that theJace of the man you [saw at Lady Blanche’s feet?” , Andrhe held out the card. She took it very slowly and look- ed at it. Wait! Floris, you are aux-cit was I' you saw that afternoon at Ballyfloe 1” r 'Her head drooped. “Oh, Bruceâ€"why ask me? Why not let it be buried?” He drew a. gard from his pocket and was about to show it to her, when he whipped it behind his back. ' night all has been made ales}. Look 1” ' ' (To be continued.) CHEERFUL. The calendar upon/ the wall, the memorandum book in the pocket,» the piles of bags at the depot, the, allâ€"prevadiug odor in the air, all; tell the story that spring is coming' and that fertilizers are for salefik Most farmers buy them mixed,§ ready made. Such are the easy ferâ€"g tilizers. They are quite generally; bought without regard to their char; actor or their fitness. The name andwahove everything else â€"â€"â€" the price are the controlling factors in. the purchase. Close buying is all; right, but it seldom happens in any: trade that the cheapest is the'»best,_l though it e-ltnost’alwayelmppens; in the fertilizer trade that me best; is the cheapest. ‘ mlght be a questionable practice. It might have a. tendency to make the soil to open and dry it out with out liberating the plant food'it con- tained. While the-above is undoubtedly true in some sections of the country applying straw to land in som'e parts of the semi-arid wheat belt The author goes on to showthe composition of wheat straw and calculate its value at the regular rate charged for commercial ferti- lizersond demonstrates that it conâ€" tains plant food to the value of $2.27, and this does not take into account its effect upon the physical condition of the soil. The American Farm .World has this to say about the “Manuriel value of straw”: “Straw contains enough fertilizer a, ton to cost sev~ oral dollmgs if bought in a commer- cial fertiliZe‘r. While the fertilizer eiements are not so available as those found in the commercial ar- ticle,. yet the straw furnishes: hum< us to {he soil, which is an advéntage that the commercial fertilizér does noiposnesg.” One of the features of the land scape which is sure to attract the attention of the traveller through the West, is the huge straw stacks. OI perhaps there is to be seen only the smouldering remains of one of these stacks, and at once the thrifty, saving traveller from the East is sure to enquire if the straw does not contain sufficient value to warrant its use. Observance of these rules should lead to the largest amount of milk with the greatest proportion of butter fat, at a minimum of trouble to the milker.â€"â€"W. R. -Gilbcrt. ' Milk at as nearly even intervalsâ€" of time as posSible. A good deal of attention has bePnT‘given to this question and it has been found that milk 'poor in-fat is very Barge- ly the result of allowing too long an interval to elapse between mil-king: But whatever hours are chosen see that they are very strictly adhered to. Be punctual. The cow knows as well as you when the hour has ar- rived for milking, and delay Will not only cause a diminution of her, yield but also a, decrease of fat per- centagev Take care that the buildings in which milking is carried on are well aired and free from avoidable dust. Fresh air and sunlight should be constantly admitted, and litter or food should not be handled dur- ing the milking hour. Pay attention to the cow’s health. If her teats are sore, if there is any- discoloration or unusual feature about the milk do not mix it with the rest. Draw the milk by pressure, not bv the stripping method. Carry out the operation as quickly an pos- sible remembering that generally a. good milker is a fast one and that; the cow is liable to become impav tient after a. time. ‘ Observe cleanliness in all things. Make- sure that the milking uten- sils are above reproach. Cleanse the cow’s' udder and your own hands before commencing to milk. The machine can only work at its best when properly handled; Every drop of milk 3130an be»; drawn, for only by this means will; the udder be induced to work at; full pressure and give a supply of; rxchest-milk. It should always bermr in mind that. the last. milk is} the richest. Remember that you’ are dealing with a. living machine and - that; therefore kind and quiet trezitrnenh will produce more milk“wibh less: trouble than harsh methods. THE VALUE OF STRAW HINTS ‘FOR MILKERS. FARM NOTES.