In “A Matter of Balance” by W. D. Valgardson, Harold left two bikers on a cliff, and the bikers will be freeze to death. Harold is a middle age man who has been ill for one year, suffering from the death of his wife. On a weekly routine of hiking in the provincial parks and panning for gold, he had encountered two young bikers. The bikers chased Harold to a dead end, when Harold had a rope to bring himself up the cliff, the two bikers were unable to get up by themselves. The cliff is at a path where only few people will be likely to go through. Night time is coming, Harold was faced with two choices. He could save the two bikers, but his own belonging or life might be in dangers, or he could leave the two bikers, but they will surely die. Harold did not rescue them, he made this choices because the two bikers had weapon on hand ready to attack him, his children need someone to look after them after their mother passed away, and he is affected by the past experiences he had and the death of his wife. “The blond man had a small leather purse attached to his belt. He unsnapped it and took out a bone handled clasp knife. He pried out a wide blade.” (pg. Just when Harold was negotiating with the two bikers on the cliff, one of them took out a weapon when Harold posed no harms to them, which the weapon threatens Harold’s life. “He had to be back by seven. It was the agreed-upon time. Since their mother had been killed, the children became upset if he was even a few minutes late.” (pg. 4) After the death of Harold’s wife, the tragedy in the family still leaves marks on their children. His children still suffer from the shadow that haunts them mentally. Harold could not be late, or else his children will become worried and upset. Therefore Harold can not leave them too, His children still need their father to take care of them, to protect their limp innocence. “He wondered if his wife had screamed like that. Six of her fingernails had been broken. Unto the third generation. Conklin had said. His children, and his grandchildren should he have any, would feel the effects. Alone in a dark parking lot, desperately fighting for her life, and he had been sitting in his study, reading. “Help never comes when it’s most needed.” (p. 11) The death of Harold’s wife not only haunts his children, but also Harold himself. At the moment when he left the bikers, their screams hooked back his memories of the past, the moment before his wife dies. So the three factors are what mainly directed Harold to make this decision, giving up the life of two other people that might threaten him, in order to protect a broken family.