The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-01-30
TWO SCENES
IN TWO LIVES
By MARGARET BARR

place. 1t was not spacious, RnO the
house was not palatial. They indi'
Gated an owner Of moderate means.
but there was something about the
premises that denoted he was refined.
There was whirring Of wheels up the
road and an automobile appeared. Be.
side the chauffeur there was only one
person aboard, middle aged lady
well wrapped in fur robes. The We.
hicle had reached 4 point perhaps 4
hundred yards from the place describ-
ed when there was an explosion like
a pistol shot. The auto swerved and
in doing 80 went over.
The chauffeur was unhurt. Not so
the lady. The gentleman who saw
the catastrophe went to her assistance.
She was lying with closed eyes. but
she soon opened them and looked at
the man bending over her.
Tell ME. madam" he said, how
badly hurt you are that may decide
what to do
Il don't know" she said in faint
voice. but l doubt II my injuries are
serious"
The chauffeur Joined them, and the
two carried the lady to the house.
Two young ladies. the daughters Of
the host, took her in charge, while the
gentleman telephoned for a surgeon.
When the medical man arrived he pro-
nounced the lady unhurt, with the ex.
ception Of a sprained ankle. which
prevented her walking. He said she
might be driven to her home at any
time. Left alone with her host, the
lady said:
"This Is q singular meeting, Mr.. Can
ning.'
The gentleman started. I'VE have
met before2" he asked.
Yes. You were once well known to
me. But that was twenty years ago.
and my age is just double what 1t was
then. 1t is not remarkable that you
should not recognize me-"
But you have recognized me-
"There is a reason for that"
"Will you give it,
Eyes, but not directly. will tell
you little story. The scene is the
veranda Of a house on an eminence
overlooking a river The season Is
spring. The hour was that when the
twilight fades into night. A new moon
is standing over the western horizon.
1.-Two young persons were sitting on
the veranda. man and woman.
The man took her hand In one Of his;
the other he stole around her waist.
4 love you,' he said, and wish you
to be my wife The words were sim
pie but more winning from their sim
pllcity. 1t was the happiest moment
Of her life.
"But not relishing being won too cas-
lily she asked for time, promising an
answer within few days. He assent
ed. but reluctantly. When few days
had passed she looked for him to come
to her for her answer. He did not
come. A month passed and she receiv-
ed letter from him from distant
city, telling her that he had suddenly
been called away; that a new field had
opened to him, but that 1t would be a
long while before he could expect any
great success. Had she loved him
deeply she would not have asked for
time This was probably fortunate,
since he could not be near her, long
while must pass before they could be
married, and he would only stand in
her way of being settled for life. If
she agreed with him in this an answer
to the question he had asked was not
necessary. If that answer was to have
been Yes and she preferred to stand
by it she might write him, and he
would do bis best to make good his
offer.
''This chilled her first and only love.
She wrote him that doubtless he was
right about the matter, and since his
view was hers, she considered his offer
annulled."
The lady had reached this point
which was the end of her story, when
one of the young ladies in the house
brought in Il dainty luncheon on a sal.
yer. She would have fingered, but her
father told her that the stranger was
not equal to seeing more than one
person at time. The girl withdrew.
Then he spoke.
There Is period in mans life
between, say, eighteen and twenty-five,
when what he is to be Is forming. He
Is clay ready to thrust into the fur.
mace. This person you speak Of was
then In that condition. He was at an
important point of his life when the
two elements, caution and daring, are
struggling for the mastery. In his
case caution prevailed. And yet for a
time the chances between the two were
equal.
'"This person who at critical mo-
ment looked behind him never again
eame to a point where he could con-
fdently, fearlessly look before him.
He has lived a negative life. He has
been a failure"
There was deep sadness in his last
words. The lady took his hand in hers
and pressed it sympathetically.
''The carriage that was ordered has
arrived" said one of the young girls,
throwing open the door.
| The injured woman was helped to the
carriage and when seated thanked