The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-01-10
BY FATE OR CHANCE,
The Meeting Of The TWO Who Had
Been SweetheartS.
BY HELEN N. QUINN.

Nfllliig and the hitter reading YEARLY
through slowly diminishing pile Of
manuscripts.
The woman sighed, The man looked
up al her
Tired, Miss KingY
Tired That does not express ii,
and i does seem that am accomplish.
tng very little today
"Can ] be Of assistancei / am al
most through"
Well, there IS one thing should like
20 have YOU do when you can spare
time. have two stories here on which
should like to have your opinion"
You think they are goodT'
Yes, but | should like to know
whether your Judgment agrees with
mine. This Reason and Romance, I
think, shows decided genius, and this
For Aud Lang syne' seems to me to
be rather a clever little story, but as
It Is written by very dear friend Of
mine perhaps ! am partial. viii you
give me your unbiased opinion7"
He crossed the room and took the
manuscript from her hand. A few
minutes later she closed her desk and
put on her hat.
i am going home" she said as she
paused at the door. III Mrs. White
should come In. would you mind asking
her to telephone noe from IereP
1T will be a pleasure, Miss King
When she had gone be laid down his
pen, put away bis papers in a method
zeal way, lighted cigar and settled
himself comfortably back in his chair.
The first story be took up was ''Rea-
son and Romance" II was short, and
he read It through quickly.
''Umphl Wen, yes. | suppose there
is genius In Il" be unused. but 1t GER
tainly wants cultivation"
He picked up the other and at first
glanced over Il somewhat carelessiy;
then suddenly few lines brought
back his wandering thoughts. He
turned the pages 60 look at the au-
thor's name.
LILLIAN Watson" he said thought
fully. well. this Is coincidenceF
He read few pages further.
ut ii surely more than q eoinci-
dence. because no one bat Bessie could
have written this, no matter what the
signature. Why, | remember this
scene as II It were yesterday. We
were only children then. TO be sure
but there are things one never for
gets. and she has remembered our
very words"
Once more be turned 10 the sheets
IL his hand, but soon they we're laid
on the desk. aud he sat with his fore
head resting on bis palm. and bis deep
gray eyes looked YEARLY back through
the years.
How wildly the little story brought
it all back to him--the two childish
playmates Of long ago. the serapes
they fell into and ont o. together. the
boy and girl who were sohooluaates
and shared each others sorrows and
joys and were loyal comrades then
the realization that this youthful COM
partnership had developed into the pas.
sionate love Of man and woman and
the deep happiness Of this awakening
had brought to both Of theml How
well be remembered bis ardent wooing
and her sweet surrender!
Then the gray eyes grew troubled
as be thought Of the 'little rift within
the Lutte and the FINAL quarrel and
parting brought about BY woman's
pride and a mans stubboFnness.
That was i've years age. but 1t
seemed as II be had Just awakened
from long dream. He had tried so
hard to forget and until today almost
had convinced himself that he was
succeeding, but somehow al the old
hopes crowded into bis heart, and he
realized that they were mastering him
Iii spite OF himself.
Il cannot forget" be said. 4 must
see her again and win her forgiveness.
she cannot have forgotten the old
days or she would not have written
this"
There came to him 4 great longing
to hear her voice. to feel her hand, soft
and cool. Oh his forehead as she used
to lay it long ago when he was tired
or discouraged and came to her fer
sympathy.
ne was reused from his reverie by
the entrance Of the Office boy bearing
a card.
''Lady for Miss King sir"
Bring her in here. he said without
glanciHg at the card which the hoy
laid Oh bis desk. Tie took 1t for grant
al that the lady was Mrs White.
was It fate? Was it chance2 Who
knhwsg
rn moment he heard the Office boy
return, and he could hear the faint
rustic Of q womans skirt
The shadows had gathered IN the
pfsice, and the light was somewhat dim
He looked Up and saw her standing
there in the doorway iu her simple
white dress and blue ribbons, the
sweet eirlish face Just tribe more
serious perhaps than Of old but ON
8rwise unchanged
He jumped to his feet and came for
ward but his back was to the light
ana she did not have good view Of
BIS face
~Has Miss King gonew she asked
Fl a low voice. and the Old tones
thrilled bis very soul
without answering her question he
held out both hands.
aBesss'
For a moment the woman's SELF pos
session left her; her hps were color
less. and the roses fl her cheeks turned
&c.. fssA.+ 1.ass -&rono