MY HALF SISTER - , ■ .. — XXX By ELTON HARRIS XXX CHAPTER VIII.—(Continued.) "Look here, Mollle, will you—won’t you? I love you awfully. I have Jusi run over on the chance of seeing you, because I could not stay away any longer. And I hate to think of you here with these people. Won’t you look at me? Do!" A most persuasive voice was Reg gie’s; but Mollle’s eyes were fixed on the point of her shoe, and she put her hands behind her when he attempted to take them. "Give me time to think,” she whis pered In a subdued tone. ’’I can hardly believe that you aro here. How did you find me?” K-. "Saw the Dubois in town, but they S' did not see me. Rode straight on and met the little kiddle, who brought me here. Told her that I wanted to speak to you very particularly alone; and she flew off and promised to keep watch for the return of the enemy," said Reg gie briefly. •’Dear little Kittle!” "Won’t you say, ’Dear Reggie,’ too, Mollle?” he suggested, eyeing her wist fully. "I have come all the way from Ireland to ask you.” Then, as she flashed a quick, half-smiling glance at him, ho added. " ’She who hesitates Is lost;’ ‘Silence gives consent.’ How usefully these ancient copybook say m ing come in In one’s old age, don’t W. they.” "They certainly seem to,” allowed Mollle hesitatingly. And as there seemed no opposition offered to the arm Reggie had stolen round her, It stayed there, while, two not being able to sit with any comfort In an American cane chair, they re- j fct paired to the rustic seat, and were as ^■MsnJjappy and forgetful of the world as mortal lovers could be for the next half hour, as they sat In the sunshine. In the springtime of youth, hope, and love. Oh, Reggio—Madam Dubois!” ex claimed the girl at length. “She will never, never consent; she means me to marry Henri." * "Then we will pay Henri's country the compliment of taking French leave, v my dear child," he returned gaily. But she shook her head. "I shall be of ago in 18 months,” she B said shyly. “Eighteen centuries! Why, I hate to leave you here now!" "And I could not leave my poor lit tle Kiltie," she exclaimed, raising her eyes to his depreeatlngly. "By then I hope she will bo better, stronger. Oh, Reggie, couldn't you bargain with them to give me Kittle? It would be so cruel to leave her; you cannot think how loving, how true to me the little pet Is!" And she poured into his ear All that she hail overheard that hot evening at the window, Reggie's face grew very pale as he listened, and he gave a low whistle of dismay; but Whatever he thought be was too wise to make his sweetheart more uncomfortable than she already was. But she had to promise that on no account would she even listen to Henri, against whom Reggie's senti ments were far from peaceful, and that If matters became worse she would lake refuge at t\»e White house, whither his mother returned In a week’s time. And then Kato came run ning back to announce her aunt’s re turn. "Oh, Reggie!" ejaculated Mollie, ris ing, and turning very pink. "Sit down, child,” he said calmly, dragging her back to hts side, and tak ing Kate on bis knee. “Let them come." Kate pushed hack her curls and re garded hint with a frown. She was Very fond of Reggie, but— He under stood the look, read the dawning jeal ousy of any one coming between Mollie and herself, in tnose sharp hazel eyes, whtch had already discovereu the truth; and as this tall, merry young officer’s heart was as tender as a girl's towards those he cared for, he hastened to dissipate it. f "You are tftdng to be my sister, kld Ilng,” he said gently. "I know," she uuNwered, with uti ling lips. "You will take her away.** 1 "But she tells me she cannot ba happy without you, so we shall have to manage for you to come, too," he continued. "Now If you think that will be Jolly, and we shall be the best brother and slater going, never Jeal ous of each other, signify the same tn the usual ntauner by a ktsa “ And he was mors touched than he liked to Mow when the little girl threw her arms round hta nech In a transport nf relief, happily unconscious of the ob stacle# that might come tn their way. It wm this group that madam#. Ad towed by her son. ram# tn sight of, and great was her wrath Nor was It la any way molltAed when Mr. An •trutker advanced politely, and after the west greeting* tnfoimed h* r that •ca *» latrist* had promised to ha kla wife, and he Iron'ed that he should have her euneeat; k« wee sure of mat *4 tha trustees, who wars old friends o( hta father's Madams waa very soare at Aral though Motllu knew ike effort It must kave > oat her dhe u« derstoud the At ml? shut mouth the half opened eyes; hut, suave or nut, managed le «e«v*y plainly he* de cision. She not only could not sanc tion the engagement, but Mies L'Estrange must he considered quite free. "I don't wish to be free," said Mollle bodly, over Ills shoulder. "I have given Mr. Anstruther my word, and will not break It." "My sweet child, you are young, you do not know your own mind. Mr. An struther has taken advantage of find ing you alone la my absence—” "I naturally wished to find Miss L'Estrange alone,” answered Keggie, haughtily. "Oh, yes!" sneered fieri, who had been standing biting his nails gloom ily, In direful dismay. “It is well to pay c^nrt to the heiress, hut she lias protejj mi. I—" He paused uneasily, yet Reggie had only stooped to pick up the riding whip which he had dropped, and then looked at him. Hut It was enough— he said no more, while rnadame, go ing a shade paler as she watched the two young men, hastened to close the interview. When Reggie left things were only what he had expected. Madame ab solutely refused her consent, and de clined to see him at Chalfont again, so far losing her temper as to utter Innuendoes and insults, which she could say with impunity, as a woman, hut which would certainly have brought Reggie's whip across the shoulders of her adored son. Reggie, for his part, courteously re peated that the engagement was a fact, and would he known all over Itever ton; he was sorry for her decision, but it would alter nothing, only cause a little delay. Then, after a few words with Mollle, he reluctantly tore him self away, and she heard the gate clang behind him and watched him down the road until she was blinded by her tears. CHAPTER IX. "Mollie, it is so bad again!” “Is it, my pet? What can I do foi you?” said a sleepy voice, as Mollie roused herself from the slumber Into which she had fallen by the side of the bed. “Kittle, it is striking 12 by the bail clock; I had no Idea it was so late! I will go down to the drawing room and get the cloves; wo left them there, and they may ease the pain a little.” Kate sat up in bpd, looking as mis erable as a child with teeth ache can look, and Mollie slipped off for the cloves, closing the door softly behind her. It was Easter eve once more; not balmy and Boft like last time, but cold and frosty, witn a cruel east wind howling round the house, like the night two years ago when Leonard Harlowe had so mysteriously met his death. The months that had passed had been full of trouble and anxiety to Mollie L'Estrange, and she looked paler and thinner; but the gray eyes were as fearless and sweeter than ever, for the trials had been bravely borne, and if she could not Quite love her enemies, she had at least endeavored to follow that splendid precept and re turn good for evil., Henri had been away for some weeks now; at first much to her relief, but latterly she had almost wished him back, for his mother’s sake. Ever since his departure she had seemed con sumed with restlessness, growing dally more morose and gloomy, and break ing into fits of passion for the merest trifle, while she watched Mollie with suspicious eyes, never allowing her to see the Anstruthors, through whom alone she could hear from Reggie, for both knew that the ordinary poet would not be safe. Stealing qutetiy down the (lark stairs, Mollie gained the drawingroom, and, possessing herself of the bottle of cloves, was returning, when as she got to the door she saw a faint light at the top of the stairs. Who was abroad In the house this night of all other*, when no servant would atlr alone, when they vowed that the ghost of Mr. Harlowe walked in his haunts and a light had been seen In his study? Drawing back against the heavy plush curtain* in the hall, she watched with beating heart aa It came glimmer ing nearer, not exactly frightened, but with a curious awe and drexd, a feel ing that something was going to hap pen A moment later, aud madam* - a lamp In her hand, a at range, daaed ■ Utter In h*r ir«at black eyes ewept noiselessly past her and went atralght to ths study. , I he girl * Arat thought was to •«**) up stairs again her n*xt to creep across ths dark hall after madams, and looh In at ih« half open door, sad so, unthinkingly, eke witnessed a sight that fvoas the bland In her Veins *nu that she never forgot ►*“* »*• * followed her Arst Impulse and |um upstairs, neither she nor Kate w mid have hewn alive when daylight dawned that Kaster da> On *<-• h slight things as iht* do great events hang' Malame pot the lamp an a table • lew by and then stole with tnt-llh* step to the hnrk of ths chair before the setting table, where the deleettree eatd that Mr Harlowe mast have been sitting asleep at the time of the at tack. Suddenly she raised her arms, holding them as if she had some heavy weapon In them, and went through the motion twice of bringing It down with terrific force on the back of some one's head. It was awful to see her face as she stood there, wild, fierce, watchful, her features working convulsively as sh* eyed the empty chair as If it were oc cupied, her dark hair streaming down the light dressing gown she wore, her breath coming in heavy gasps. After a minute she began muttering to her self, and leaned over as if to examine what was in the chair; then she went to the table and turned over the papers In a strange, troubled manner, her i^e ever returning to that empty chair. "It is only what you deserve—what you deserve!'' she muttased In a harsh, strained voice, addrestfag the chair. “You are a haid, bad *»an. I begged to you for mercy for my child—my son, my beloved—and you only laugh ed. What if he did forge your name? It was not for much. You aro rolling in wealth—your wretched wife's money —and we are poor, and Henri is young and extravagant. But you shall not punish him. I helped you In the past, but that goes for nothing with such as you. You have only yourself to blame that I have taken the law Into my own hands. I would die a thousand times rather than that you should expose my boy. Now you cannot say a word, and I take the proofs of his guilt and burn them!" She went through the motions— phantoinwlse, yet strangely real—ot taking papers and thrusting them Into the grate, apparently holding them down with the weapon she thought she held, doing It all In a strange, dull calm, which her twitching face belled. For some minutes she crouched over the empty grate moaning and wring ing her hands; then, when she evi dently thought the papers and weapons destroyed, she rose, appeared to drag what was on the chair to the window —which she threw wide open—and, before Mollie could move, she came swiftly out of the room, and, lamp lu hand, went towards the kitchen. To describe the feelings of the hor ror-stricken girl watching her would be Impossible. As one act after an other of this terrible drama was played out before her she felt powerless to move, almost to think. All her senses were bound up in the effort to keep her trembling knees from giving way under her, for well she knew that to make the least sound might cost her her life! No need to ask again who killed Leonard Barlowe. She had been how It was done; she had seen every thing—knew It was by bis own sister’s band that the blow was struck. Yet frightened as she was Mollie’S courage did not desert her. She de termined to see what took this wretch ed woman, whom she felt persuaded was mad, to the kitchen; so, with chat tering teeth, she gathered her skirts together, and crept silently through the dark passages after her. The lamplight guided her to the but ler's pantry, and there stood madame, holding her hands under e tap which she had not turned on, and muttering incessantly to herself. As she wrung the imaginary water off them and rubbed them on her skirt, it occurred to Mollie, with a cold chill of fear, that she was action by action following out just what she must have done that terrible night—that it was she whom the servants took for a ghost, who had frightened Kate by brushing past her In the dark. Suddenly madame’s glance fell upon some knives lying on a table, and a gleam like fire flashed Into her eyes, a gleam that had neither reason nor sanity in It, only cunning and fierce exultation. "Why not kill them both?" she mut tered, standing still with a meditative look. "They are no use to Henri; the girl will not marry him; the child had better follow her father. Yes, yes; that will be best!" (To be continued.) DISPOSAL OF IDIOTS. Sortfljr Cannot Shirk Ita Uftpnmlblllly for Criminal*. Now. of course It Is the easiest thing In the world to pick out Indi vidual rase* where this highly effect ive and economical plan would seem Justifiable, but the obstacle which must everlastingly keep all such ob stacle* out In the renlm of purely vis ionary and Impossible propositions is the fact that no man, or group of men — no, nor that of angels, probably— could ever Ire trusted to decide thal such and such a person could not be reformed, but must die. There Is the crux of the whole matter. That llttla word "very" which Is supposed to de scribe the kind of vicious and crimi nal persons who are to be "gently and painlessly" assisted out of this world, j contains the whole range of subtle. I unkuown and unfathomable qualities : of chars, ter upon whose possibilities no human wisdom Is competent to pass the Anal word With Dr McKliu de claring. for example, that John Jones, aged thirty, whom he has carefully ; examined, ta Incorrigible and should be executed, and John Junes' mother, who. presumably, also knows some thing about him declaring that there la that within the buy which, had at he Is, can and may reclaim him ta t its*rut »»»lii«.l *C«f- jj ouf * Jury that wuuld venture tu pass op a ; the awful Issue’ oh, not Hoc I -1j has j tong stare passed the poiat where l| .-an ahlrh Its share of original respoa* ilblllty for Ita criminal* and liabeciisw by hilling them aa matter If doing it ta a llttla mors gentle thaa oar ear j age forefathers' ru-t io of ttranglag female babies be-suae they wera an t tasumbraasa to the tribe tiuaton a {JEWS (EASE 10 (0ME.J ! Exodus sf Roumanians has Ceased. jj To the probable relief of the gov ernments of Hungary, Austria, and Holland, and to some extent the Unit ed States also, the exodus of Jews from Houmanla has practically ceased, says Robert Attner In the Chicago Record. More than 3,000 of those who last stnrted for America got no further than Budapest or Vienna, whence they were promptly sent back to Houmanla. For the present it Is believed the movement Is over, at any rate until next year. Beginning In the early summer of this year the number of these emigrants Increased so rapidly that the governments of Hungary and Austria, whose territories they were crossing, became alarmed. For the most part the travelers were without means of subsistence and threatened to become a burden on the local au thorities of these countries. The Dutch government, too, became interested, since Houmanla, in her anxiety to rid herself of the Jews was giving to an many of them as space permitted free transportation on the state steamship line to Rotterdam, Indifferent as to whether they bad the necessary means to cross the Atlantic or not. Each of these countries made strong diplomat ic remonstrances to Roumanla on this subject, and both Austria and Hun gary gave notice that the refugees would not be permitted to cross their borders unless they were provided with sufficient funds to reach Ham burg, Bremen or some other port of embarkation. These conditions were strictly enforced, und nearly a score of emigrant parties, numbering in all more than 3,000 men, women und children, were sent back to Houmanla. Meanwhile the attention of the treas ury authorities at Washington had been drawn to the movement. In nearly every case the parties going to America elaimed that Canada was their destination, but the officials of the I'nited States legation in Vienna had strong reasons to conclude that the emigrants were going to Canada with the Intention of crossing the bor \AA(%fSAA^VV^AAAA^VSA^AAAAAA^. der Into the United States and thus evading the laws governing the ad mission of immigrants Into that coun try, with which they were not In a position to conform. The Vienna le gation promptly reported the matter to the state department, and s'eps were Immediately taken to strengthen the force of immigration Inspectors along the Canadian frontier. In ad dition, Robert Watchorn, special Im migration Inspector, was directed to go to Roumanla and Investigate the conditions there. Recently a confer ence was held at Vienna, at which Charles V. lierdllka, charge d'affaires at Vienna; Arthur 8. Uardy, United Stutes minister to Greece and Rou manla; Mr. Watchorn from Washing ton, and M. Take Jonesco, ex-minister of finance, Roumanla, were present. M. Jonesco, who seemed thoroughly familiar with the whole situation, ex plained the conditions leading up to the movement. The real reason for the attempted exodus was, ho said, the temporary distress prevailing In Rou manla. There hud been a run of bad harvests and very little money was left in the country. No classes had suffered more keenly than the small shopkeepers, small money lenders and artisans, and the hulk of these were Jews. There was, too, a permanent overcrowding of the business in which the Jews usually engaged, and the situation was rapidly growing worte through the constant Btream of Jewish immigrants, In spite of the laws pro hibiting their admission to the coun try. Another reason for the emigra tion movement, and of an entirely dif ferent character, was to be found In the new Jewish generation now grow ing up. These young Jews sire ex tremely dissatisfied with the social and political position of their rure in Rou manla. They resent the contemptuous tolprution extended to them and de mand to be put on an equality with their neighbors. If they cannot s ic ceed in getting these conditions alter ed they prefer to leave the country. Sat on || the Hat Ij I WHITE WOMAN CRUSHES COR* CEOUS HEAD' ; GEAR OP A NEGRESS. From the 8t. Ixmis Globe-Democrat: An amusing incident, in which a while woman, a black man and a new hat figured, occurred in the waiting room at Union station. The station was crowded with in and out bound pas sengers and seats in the waiting room were at a premium. The colored wom an, flashily dressed and walking with a self-satisfied air, entered. Spying two vacant seats in one corner, she started toward them, sat down in one and placed a pasteboard box contain ing a hat, for the purchase of which she had traveled to town, on the other. A few minutes later a handsomely dressed white woman entered the sta tion. Her eyes wandered In the di rection of the colored woman and fell upon the seat occupied by the band box and its owner. When she reached the seat she looked at the bandbox and then Inquiringly at the woman. The latter paid no attention to her, and she Anally pointed to the box and asked the colored woman if it was hers. The latter nodded in the affirmative find the white woman requested her to I remove It. The other refused, saying she had paid as much fare as the white woman and did not intend to set her hat on the floor or hold it in her lap. A wrathful gleam flashed into the eyes of the white woman. She looked the woman over for a moment and then turned as though to walk away, but instead dropped leisurely Into the seat on which was the bandbox. It was one of those lazy ways of sitting down, where the entire weight of the body is thrown in. The woman was not a lightweight, and as she sat down there was a ripping of pasteboard and a crunching of straw, red flowers, lace and feathers. The owner of the band box let out a yell whic h aroused every one in the station and pushed the whi'e woman out of the seat. But she was too late. The gorgeous hat was crushed ail out of shape. The colored woman's scream attracted the police, but when they learned what caused the trouble they took no action. The hat crusher refused to give her name or address and the colored woman was so angry that she was unable to articu late distinctly. California Flower Seed Crade. From the Washington Star: Flower | seeds are extensively grown In Califor nia. where there la cultivated a great assortment of varieties, and. while j nearly all kinds flourish, there Is so much hard work and close application j ne> ssary that we have not Iteen able j to successfully compete with Kurope | >n most things, Sweet peas, nastur- { limns, cosmos, veiheuaa. petunias and ! istera are quite successfully grown. j • ml the seed trade now looks to Cali fornia for m>Mit of the sweet peas and j i great many nasturtiums. Southern 1 "altfornla hss some very prominent growers of fine double petunias and I Hh<‘r plants, t he rapid advau e of the California sweet pea seed In popular ly la moat marvelous A beginning gras mada In thin line In a moderate way ahout IIU, when there was not over a dosen varieties listed. At first about a quarter of an acre was grown, now one grower alone has grown from 150'to 200 acres of them each year for the past five years, ami there are no less than 125 varieties In his complete list. This grower has Introduced more than twenty varieties of great merit In the Inst three years, among them the famous race of ‘'Cupids." Ho im portant a factor have the California •wis t pea flowers become to the seed trade that some dealers go there an nually from the east to Inspect the growing crops and to hunt for novel ties tu the sweet pea line Flower seeds are grown In a number of places throughout the t'ntted States, hut ouly a portion of the trade Is supplied with home grown seed, Outside of Califor nia limited amounts of flower seeds are grown WkMlaunrii I* ►»»«***■ \\ naa>lwont«-u In Kuruiw turvt wait ndlip iltAi Mlllaa In Ituaala avarylhlng a wu«|«i rjrmng ta no a tragi Ion lu lha ula (Mute a woman ’Aii |namw a • brat ab« must obtain royal * > u»#ml. tad aa Ihla ta granta^ nulla agartagly. bar* ara but taw wbaalwuman In Mua •la t'r«k<» ratognlaaa Ida rlgdl of •ha duatannil to ba Ituaa. an I bafura MAUama ■ an |>.in Ida louring flub gda «»“•» Irat obtain a aignawt by the original eetlmate The outlay on It to dais has been and I It la not yst Hats bed, ■ MU ■ ■ ■ —1 weoiw. i | mg| | Vi ¥ ¥ lark • t«*ey Ho*. Tha prevailing gray hat has com# ta he accepted as the la variable symbol af tha aalusui and has maintained ite popularity fWt a surprisingly tong tint In Ns* York, whets faafcluftg I Chang* so rapidly