Yes - it means using one strand of thread you go up in the lower left corner and go down in the upper right corner - stitch done and onto the next one the same way. Enjoy.
cheryl

Your half stitch should go in the same direction as the top half of your regular cross stitch..

According to DMC, half stitches are worked lower left to upper right in the first row, then upper right to lower left in the second row:

"To stitch a half stitch, bring the needle up from the back of the fabric at 1, and down into 2. Up at 3 down at 4. Complete the row. The return row is stitched in reverse and stitched from the right to the left. Here the needle comes up at 11 and down at 12, then up at 13 and down at 14. Complete the return row and repeat the stitching sequence until the area is stitched as charted."

I don't know if you can see the numbers on this diagram, but they are there. Go to dmc.com to see a larger diagram.

Thanks!!