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. liéi‘lkssfllioxtnanuca 3E *thmivall" she modal. “A disgrace- ful exhibition .of a town’s lawlessness. A miserable pageant got up merely to attract the unsuspecting foreigner into the web spread for him by extortionate hotel-keepers. All the so~called fun is performed by paid mountebanks; the cars are not only ina'rtistic, but there '8 always something extremely offensive in their character, while the orgies which take place at the masked balls at. the Casino are absolutely disgrace- ful. The whole thing is artificial, and deserves no support at all from winter Visitors." Mrs. Anson, for once, did- not agree ' With this sweeping condemnation, while Mabel declared that she always enjoy- ed the fun of the battles‘of flowers and aper confetti, although she admitted hat she never had the courage to go out on those days when. the pellets r. lime, or “hard confetti," are permitted. Both Hickman and myself supported Mabel in defence of the annual fates at Nice in. being unique in all the world. But the Irritating Woman was not to be convinced that her opinions WCI‘O ei- ther ill-formed or in the least distorted. She had: never been present at a'Ca-r- nival ball, she admitted, but it had been described to her by two estimable ladies who had, and that was, for her, suiti- o'rcnt. They were a pair of pious! souls, and would, of course, never exaggerate to the length of a lie. Dinner over, the ladies retired, and Hickman and myself were left to smoke and gossip. He was certainly a very ugly man, and at times asserted! an over- bearing superiority in conversation; but having watched him very closely, I at length arrived at the conclusion that this was his natural manner, and was not intended to be offensive. Indeed. ever since that first moment when I had entered and been. introduced, he had shown himself to be very pleasant and affable towards me. “Poor eMiss Wells!” he laughed, after the door had closed. “She's so infer- nally positive about everything. to induce her to expound her views up- on r aligious matters.” “Any argument seems utterly useless, I remarked as I lit a cigar. “Do you know INice well?” the inquir- ed, after reflecting a moment. “I‘ve spent three winters there,” I an- swered. , “And at Monte Carlo, I suppose?” “Yes, of course," I impended, laugh- ing. “I suppose scarcely any man goes ~ to Nice without going over to Monty and risking a few touts.” “Were you lucky?” ‘81, so. One season I won five thou- sand francs. In fact. I’ve never lost on the whole season. I’ve always left the Riviera with some of the bank's money." “Then you can heartily congratulate yourself." be said. “I’m the reverse. I g n,~.r:rl-ly Ins}. Do you believe in any system at roulette?” “No; they are all frauds,” I answered promptly. “Except one,” be interposed. “There's - which had been committed thart ghastly, It inrr at. once to him. would: be as good as an entertarimnent 1ft”. one [based on the law of average, which' must turn up in your favor if you’re. only patient enough. Thc'rcason why it. is so difficult is because it’s such a long and tedious affair.” “Explain it," I urged, for a new sys- tem that was infallible was, to me, of greatest. interest. I had, in the days be fore my blindness, made a study of the chancr‘s at roulette, and had played carefully upon principles which. had, to me, ap._‘earod most natural. The result had been that. with care I had wonâ€" not much, it was trueâ€"but it was bet.- ter than leaving one's money to swell the Company‘s dividends. “The system," he said, tossing off his glass of 'curacoa, at one gulp, at all a complicated one. If you study the pcrmancnccs of any tnblcâ€"yw- can get them from the Gazette Rosaâ€"you‘ll tlnd that each day the largest number of times either color comes up inx suc- cession is nine. Now, all you. have to do is to go to a- table at the opti'niing at the play, and taking one color, red or black, it. makes no diffr.‘l‘(‘.lll'(‘. stake up- on it, and allow your nzoncy to accumuâ€" late until it is swept away. If the color you stake upon. comes up eight times in succrssion, and. you have. originally staked twenty francs. your gains lying on the table will amount. to two thou- sand f‘rvc hundred and sixty francs. Even then. don‘t touch it. The color must. in the law of averages, come up nine times in succession cacfr day, tak- ing the week though. If comes up, you'll win five thousand and twenty francs for the. louis you staked. and then at. once leave the table, not come up nine times again that day. Of course. this may occur almost. opening of play. or not till the table is near closing, therefor», it requires great patience and constant attendance. 'l‘o- dayitmaynotcome up nine. Links. but it. will pmbably wine up nine times on two occasions to-morrow. and s...» average always righ's i‘slf." Ills th-‘orv was cot-tun and .mpra.~ssed me. There night. i thrughl, Le strrnetlung in it. llo had newr turd patience to try it, he admit- “i-s notl were two or three tables with glass ta rps, ! | l for it will on in that at, [he , with its pendulum 11prescnling lhof‘rgure l um pairions and my eyes shut, the whole l,\' a novel anon heard the crash. ted, L-but ' year's “permanenccs,’ and- icon only on three or four failed. v explaining the results of the game with the air of a gambler. . forestedâ€"as every man is, who b'E-LICV'L‘S he has found the secret of how the right side of the at length compelled Cigars, drawing‘room, elegantly furnished, and lit by two great lamps, causing the beautiful diamond star in smile of welc cane. on my 11 Mabel mu. back sit ion. aimed to rested, a whole (I that. occasions had it 'he had gone through he sat lucidly his studies. of practised these I became at once in- For half an hour or so to keep In to get bank; but we were to put down our he led. the way date the where the ladies awaited fortirble. held me and. the othc us. . stitches The room was a large, handsome one, one, for which shed a soft, subdued light from lmrtoaththeir huge shades of silk and lace. Mabel was sittin g at the open _ grand piano, the shaded candlelight as if by the coils of her dark brown hair to flash with a dazzling irridescence, and as l entered she turned and gave me a. sweet my A second time I glanced around that spacious apartment, then next. instant together stood breathless-Aransflxed. piece he: I could not believe my own eyes. It scorned- absolutely incredible. Yet the truth was l'eyond all doubt. . mended In the dispos'tion of the furniture, and in. the general appointments of that handsome salon. the borne of the woman I so dearly liovcd,~l recognized th: very room which I had once explored: with t” lift it keen sense of touchâ€"tho. room in I” an! my mysterious, midnight crime! ...__.. CI‘IAPTER XV. “ How you men gossip!” Mabel ex- claimed, turning upon the piano-stool, and laughing merrily. “I wasn't aware that we had been very long," I answered, sinking into a low armchair near her. “If so, I’ru sure- I apologize. The fact is, that Mr. [lick- man was explaining a new system of how to break in: bank at Monte Carlo." “Oh, Mr. Hick-man!" she cried, turn- “Do explain it, and it when we go to the Ilivie1a.” “Mabel, my dear," exclaimed her mo- ther, scand-alized, “you'll do nothing of the kind. You knew I don‘t approve of ma yk of dressed , to start, without black in passed. gambling." and in “Oh, I think it’s awfully good fun,” hcr mght. daughter declared. Beside “If you win,” I added. “Of course," she addcd; thcn, turning again to Hickman, she induced him to explain his new and infallible system just as he had explained it to me. The trend of the conversation was, however. lost to me. My cars closed. to all sound, and now that .1 reflect I am surprised that I succeeded in retaining my selfâ€"possession. I know I sat there rigid, as one held motionlrss in terror; I only replied in monosyllables to any remark addressed to me, and I knew instinctively that the color had 13ft my countenance. The discovery was as be- wildering as it was unexpected. Every detail of that handsome room was, exactly as I pictured! it. The bind, with their kosn sense of tou.ch,‘ar-e quick to form mental impressions of places and things, and the general character of this apartment I had riveted upon my mind with the fidelity of a. photo- graph. ’l‘ho furniture was of gilt, just as I had detected from its smoothness, and cov~ cred with a rich brocade in wide s'ripes of art green and dull red-brownâ€"an extremely handsome pattern; the carth was dark, with a pile so thick that. one’s feet. fell noiselessly; the time long win- dows, covered by heavy curtains of bro- cade to match the furniture, reached from the high-painted ceiling to the ground. exactly as I had found them In my blind giopings. About tle 10 on 0 van i n g dead. maincd I saw Cull. ceiling. tains. I had pas Mabel rn trays beneath which were cola'ctions of choice bric-aâ€"brac, including some wonderful Chinese carvings in ivory. while before the fireplace was spread the great tiger-skin, with paws and heard preserved, which I so well remcm~ bored. I sat there speechless, breathless. Not a s'nglc detail was thcre wanting. Never lcfore, in all my life, had amazement held me. so absolutely dumfoundrr-d. Close to where I sat was a spacious couch, over the centre of which was thrown on antimacassar of silken cro- chct'work. It was covered with the some. brocade as the rest of the i'urni- ' turn, and l stretched forth my hand with feigned carclcsmess and touched it. Its contact was the same, its. shape exact; its position in the room identical. Upon that very couch I had reclined while. the. foul tragedy had been r-nactâ€" room. My head swam; I ctr-sod my oycs. The. great gilt clock,l to chat, szren, th were .30: “Ynll wall?" I had to «i a girl swinging beneath tlir.‘ trees. standing on the mantelshelf. ticked out. low and nuisically, just. as it had done on that fateful night. In an instant. as I sat with head turned from my cum- Fl. fl tied of that. tragic scene was rc-enactcd. I the Woman's scream, as she thy~ awe-striclren exclamation that [01- l-right .‘owgd in the innrr room. I heard, too, charming the low swish of a woman’s skirts, the | and fell. heavy blow struck by an assassin's hand and in horror felt the warnr of the unknown victim as it trickled up- over the keys, and the music brought I had at length discovered the actual house in which the mysterious tragedy had been enacted, and it became impressed upon of greatt’mt care I might further be en- to a successful issue, tho enigma. _-My eyes fide couch. It was the very spot where I had those strange events about me. became filled that I sat there pet-rifled as oneturned to stone? - The square, had been placed in of the couch, and sewed down in order sitting fortunately in the shadow, and when Mabel commenced playing I rose â€"unstcad'ily I thinkâ€"and resented my- self upon the couch, as being more com- frorm the “vaamra.” I, unnoticed by to tho'brocade. The feat was a difficult. ed tearing the furniture of one's hos- tess. Nevcrthel-ass, after tcn minutes or so I succeeded in loosening it, and then, bz‘dy, commenced to work it aside. The music ceased, and even though Mabel upon her Hickman was standing beside her, and Miss \Vclls, with phants jingling, turned to me and com- course interrupted; nevertheless, some ‘ten minutes later, I rose, and naturally turned 1: antimacassar. Coated beneath crochet-work was a large dark-thrown 'stain upon the brocade. an instant, been struck to the heart! The shock of its discovery caused me the antimacassar into its former place household! The thing seemed absolute- ly incredible. A dozen times I Cll-.t(‘(1Vt1‘â€" ed to- pal-suadc myself that the whole dis- covery was but a chimera, aris’ng from my dis .rdered imagination. less, it was impossrble to disguise from myself the fact that in every detail the truth \ 'as room the unknown man had bccn struck The marks of his blood still rc- rcom w _ champagne being uncorde and the wo- man’s piercing scrcamt ' held: me fixed, and more handsome than I think." from the piano, and taking the low chair that I drew up for her. and late exhaled a swret odor. tlr'rt of pcau d‘lispagno, the same subtle. perfume used by the mysterious Edna! li fe-b100d and. suddenly ran her while fingers to a realization of my true po- me that by tha exorcise prosecute Secret inv-c-st’gations and at length solve themselves upon the helplcss, while had taken place Was it any wonder that I with apprehensions, or sightless and dark-green antimacassar the extreme centre it in its place. Where I was Than, while the woman who entranced played a. select-ion rs, succeeded in breaking the which tacked the antimacassar one does not care to be detect the natural movement of my all my attention was not centred upon investigations, I congratulated accurate execution. they began to search for some had requested her to play, while her hearts and eleâ€" talk. By to this I was, of rack to straighten the rumpled In doing so I managed and glance beneath. .ns-tant the truth was plain. Con- that square of green It was the the life-blood of that thin, well- unknow-n victim, who had. in but next instant I smoothed out attracting any at'ention, and ‘ passe-d, across the. room with the motive of inspecting an object which I well re- rnsmlered discovering when I had made my blind search. Upon a pedestal of arbcl stood an exquisite little statuettc of a Neapolitan dancing-wo- man, undoubtedly the Italian master. amine it, I fork in its every detail as I work of some Without pausing to ex- It was exactly as I had felt it, the selfsame spot as on that [trial the couch, as I turned again to .look, I saw that a large skin rug had been thrown down. trad been placed there ugly stain of blood upon the car-pct. And yet there, on the scene of onset the f.ulcst and most cowardly assa~sin- aliens. we were actually spending the Without doubt it to conceal the quietly, as became a respectable Neverthe borne out. In that very as evidence of the truth. that brside the high lamps at that moment in use, there was a m’gnifl- candelabra ous‘pcnded from the and in the weze o‘eclr'c lam~ys. 'I‘hr-n, at the door, I noticed the switch, and knew that it was the some which I had heard turnr'd off by the assassin be- fore leaving the house. At the end of the room, too, were the folding-doors, now concealed by cure t was through those very doors that Edna, my mysterious.protectrcss, sod and rcpass'c/d to that inner hence had comc'fithc sound of leaned over and. spoke to me, lwhcreupon I sank again into. the chair I had previously occupied. She began but although 1m: beautiful cycs her face scenicr'l any I had ever 0 diamonds in her hair dazzled my eyes, and I fear that my responses rrcely intelligible. are not quite yourself lo-night, she. remarked at last, rising “Are you un- “VV‘rhy?” I asked, laughing. “Because you look rather pale. What's tlzc matter?" “Nothing,” I answered, as carelessly as I could. ha< passed now.” My eyes wandered to those curtains of green plush. hat nocun beyond! At that moment ’lrandkcr'clrief.. liven that action added to the c. “A slight headache. But it How I longed to enter she took out her ompl‘etion of the mental picture rmcd. Her tiny square of lawn It was any nostrils until I seemed in- toxicated by its fragrance combined with her beauty. IIer dress was discreetly ‘dewllcbe, and sat chatting to me with that which was so , her white neck slowly heaved She had, it seemed, been striv- vivaciousncss ing her. As she gossiped with me, new and then waving her big conveyed to my extreme simplicity in the. midst of the most wonderful complexity. (d to take the peculiar traits from many characters, and so like the combination of hursin a sun- beam, the effect was as one to the eye. I had studied her carefully each time we had met, and had found that she had something of the romantic enthusiasm C! a Juliet, of the truth and. constancy of a Helen, of the dignified purity of an Isabe.l,of the tenderswcctnesslof a Vote, of the self‘posscss-ion and intellect of a Portiaâ€"combined and so harmonis-usly that I c0"ld scarce- ly say that one quality predominated over the other. ing, and stood rather upon the defen- sive; her ed, was not passive, and thus she stood wholly woman I had ever met. The following day was one on which she was due to take her music-lesson, and I inquired whether I might, as usu- a:. meet her and escort her acnoss the any Park. “You are really very kind," she re- sponded; “but I fear I take up far too much of your time." “Not at all,"I hastened to assure her. I always enjoy our walks together." She smiled, but a moment later saidâ€" “'I fear that I shall be prevented from going to Hanover Square tomorrow, as I shall be making calls with mother. We‘ve been neglecting to call of late, and have such a host to make." “Then I shan’t see you at all to-mor- row?” I said in. dcep disappointment. “No. a matter of fact, my movements for the next few days are rather uncertain.” “But you'll write and you are free?" I urged earnestly. “If you wish," she responded, smiling sweetly. Apparently she was in no wise averse to my ccanpanionShip, a fact which had become to me more apparent now that she had induced her mother to invite me to their table. 'I (ndcavmed to extract from her some appointment, but she only whisperedâ€"â€" “‘Rumembcr clandestine. Let’s change the subject." then she began to discuss several of the latrst novels. . She had apparently a wide knowledge of French fiction, for she explained how a. friend" of hers, an old schoo-lfcllow, who had- married a French baron and lived in Paris, sent her regularly all the notable novels. she was evidently a coastant reader, for she told me much about recent novels that I was unaware of, and criticized fl' US . all the evening to get. a tete-a-tete chat with me. but the chatter of that dreadful Irritating Woman and the re- quests made by Hickman had prevented feather fan, she mind. an impression of She. seem- minglc them that, together so equally Her dignity was impos- submission, though unbound- distinct in her swoetnrss from I fear not," she answered. “As tell me when that our Don't let meetings are them overhear And Of English fiction, too, the style in a manncr which betrayed a deep knowledge of her subject. “One would almost think you were a lady nrovcli'St, or a book-reviewer,” I re- marked, in response to a sweeping con- demnation which she the style of a muclr-bclauded writer. “Well, personally, some grit in them," she declared. can't stand either the scwcallrd problem novel, .or a story intorlardcd with dia- lect. If any one wants let them spend a few works of certain French writers, turn out books on the most unwbol-c- some. themes they fondly don‘t want. those queuedc-sicclc works in England. fashioned story of love, adventure, or romance. English writers are now be- g‘nning to see the mistake they once made. in trying to style, and are returning to the real le- made regarding I like books with N1 nasty problems, shillings in the who can imagine, and believe thcin’rselvcs realists. We Let. us stick to the. old- follow the French gitmiatc novel. of actionâ€"the one that interests and grips from the first page t“ the last.” She spoke sensibly, m .cn.t?re accord with her th’s discussion was bide our exchange of and I expressed opinion. But only in order to confidences utter- cd in. an undertone while Hickman and tin.- two ladies were chatting at the fur- ther end of the room. All the time I was sight of the interior z-z partunen t, forth that woman's agonizch cry stillness - of longing to get. a of the adjoining the room whence had burst. in the the night. 1 racked my brain to find some means of entering there, but could devise none. A guest can hardly wander over his hostesss house on the first occasionrlre receives 8 tcrcst in. the house. might, arouse some suspicion. fat. in these inquiries would necessitate the most extreme caution. The fragrant odor of pcau d'Espagnc exhaled by her chiffons sec-med to hold me =1)0W€'l‘lCSS. The gilt clock with its swinging girl had already struck eleven on its silvfir tell, and: clock in the hall playing the Wrstminâ€" slcr chimes, when suddenly Mrs. Anson, with a book in her hand, lookcl across to her daughter, sayingâ€"â€" “Mabel, dear, I've left my glasses. on the table in the library. ly fetch them for me?" In an instant I saw my chance, and, jumping to my feet. offered to obtain them. h at . " sire. “John, I met u soon for years. . “Yes; she recognrzcd me n invitation. Besides, to b..-tray any in- I reflected, To be success- becn rc»cclrocd by another W ill you kind- At first she objectcl, but finding ire determined, saidâ€"â€" “The library is the next room, them. You’ll find them on the writing-table. Mother always leaves them there. really too bad to thus make a servant of you. “No, no,” I went eagerly in search of them. It‘s l’ll ring for Arnold.” protested, and a! once (To be Continued.) ..._rx4 woman toâ€"day I hadn’t “Did she know you?" by tli‘s old Then the silence became oppres- N lHEtlllll KEPT LN RUSTY'CANS. In the 24th Annual Report of Wis- ccairs'n Experimental Station. some valuâ€" able work has been done regarding the effect of different metals on the action of rennet. in milk. The effect of rusty cans is summed up as follows: Milk kept over night in very rusty cans may require from 3 to 40 minutes longer to coagulate than milk that :s kept at the same temperature, the same length of time in cans free from rust. It was shown that milk placed in a. rusty pan for 8 hours at 88 F.Jt'equ11‘e«1 25 minutes to coagulate and contained .17]. per cent. of acid, while the same milk kept at the same temperature for the same length of time in a vessel free from rust coagulatcd in 19 minute and had .176 per cent. of acid. . The reason for a slow or retarded ac- tion of rennet which cheese-makers of- ten experience may possibly be attri- buted to some extent at least upon the action of acid on iron in: rusty cans, and not entirely to the amount of acd salts present in the milk as was formerly sup- posed. Milk with more than 2 pcr cent. of acid is considered unfit to be made into cheese. At the same time it may be quite possible to accept from patrons, milk which really has developed more than .2 per cent. acidity, but wlr ch can- not to revealed by the acidmcter be- cause the acid is partly neutralized by the iron of the can. This is an important matter. To make the highest quality of cheese and butter it is necessary to have all dairy utensils in good condition and free from rust. The quality of the milk depends a great deal more than generally sup- posed on the condition of the cans in which it is stored and brought to the factory. The amount of influence of the rusty iron of the can. on. the milk will; depend largely on the temperature, the length of time kept in the can,‘and the amount of rusty surface of the can to which the milk is exposed." ‘ The Dairy Instructors have always made war on rusty cans from a sani- tary standpoint. It is impossible to keep them clean: and: the above para;- graph gives another strong reason why they should be discarded. In taking up last year the question of pasteurizing the whey the writer felt that this would be one of the means to the end! of preventing to some extent at least of cans becoming rusty. When whcy is hen ted properly and the tanks kept clean it should go home in the cans comparatively sweet, and in that case will not take the tin off nearly so quickly as when the whey is returned unheattd and sour. I still maintain that; all the whey which is returned in milk cans should m from tanks which are kch perfectly clean and- the whey pas- tcurlzrd in: order to keep it sweet. The pasteurizing the whey, however, does not n’rean that the tanks do not require any further cleaning. Th:-y will require cica nfng just the same, but will be found very much easier to clean and keep clean. ’ It is hoped that the large number of factories that have adopted this year the system of pasteurizing the whey will do the Work properly so that a fair trial may be given the system. I-Icatizng to temperatures below 160 to 165 degrees and heating two or three days! a week only will not give proper results. The hcating must be done at the proper tem- perature, 160 to 165 degrees, and done every day at the proper time and that is before the whey has started to take on any more acid than what it had at. dipping and the tanks must be kept cloan.-â€"Frank I‘Iorns, Chief Dairy In- structor, Western Ontario. AN EFFECTIVE REMEDY FOR CROW S Each your as the season advances corn growers are .put- to their wits’ end to stop the (lepredations caused by the crows, upon their corn. There are many ways of commuting there destroyers of yong corn. Some keep them in check by means of scarecrows of different kinds, ranging from string strung around the field, to triglrt colored rags, shining tin and dummy representatives of man. These are all more or less cf- fcctive, depending upon the. individual- ity of the crows and their pas-t ass-octa- lions. An effectual remedy, however, that will meet all cases alike is the follow- ing: Procure from your d-ruggist, a few grains of str‘yclininc. thr the point of a small. knife, freak Oprn the sum 1 and of a [cw fresh liens eggs, place a portion of the strychnine in and mix up thecon- tents of the eggs with the strychninc by ‘r‘nean-s of a. toothpick or other suitable instrunu-nt.. Carefully seal 11]) the ozp-cnâ€" irrgs, with some wax, or paste pieces of paper over the h 1104. Before you retire at night. place tlrrse eggs in the corn lit-id, staking them in. order that you may be able. to find them the next day. later-c you have arisen the next morn ing. the crows will be on- l'rund in the corn fields and will readily partake (I the dainty. that you have provided. Makcan curly trip to the field and you will firzd your cmm’es. the Cle'v'w‘, stark an] stiff upon the cm'r‘rlicld, or not far from it. (lather up till (ggs that remain in order that stock may not lc. 1.0! 5on- ol The. writer has tr-ird 'tlr‘s remedy and knows whesz he speaks. It is an effective one, b 5d s it is a. grant. H1155â€" facliui to abln to walk out in the fields and quit tly pick up the cr- w: that lrvf at: \Vt.‘l't.’ s'} extract-art'ng. “fluâ€"5’3. It is estimated that 21,) per r-crrt. iii liar, populatirn‘i of Canada earn their living in commotion with the country’s carry- ing trade. some 'l2t,t,-.'!l) Icing employed on the railways alone.