The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-12-25
"a Freak of
Fortune
~<D
By RALPH HAMILTON

the sOmber face of Wilbur Gray. evil
dencing Il mood of profound abstrac-
ton. frightened up msgicaIly. as it
always did when this charming girl
was beside him.
Am l sure Of the compensation Of
fered?" challenged the young man
lightly.
"There" and Erna pressed an Old
battered copper coin into his hand.
"Now confess, sir! Not only do ! re-
ward you with the conventional pen
ny, but present what may be rare
coin"
$50 rare and old that its inscrip-
ton is fairly undecipherable." replied
Wilbur. 1T seems to wear the green
and CRIME of the centuries"
II found it among lot of relics OF
the olden, olden time that poor dear
grandfather so cherished" explained
Erna. "He also left some old pieces
of delftware and ancient firearms.
Il shall keep the coin always, Erna,"
said Wilbur. Il hope it will be
guardian of good fortune"
''But what about the pay?" inquired
Erna, archly. II bought your thoughts
what were theV?"
"Well, Erna," answered Wilbur, his
glance softening and replete with >
sentiment, II was thinking how dear
ly loved you when l came home for
the holiday vacation"
Erna's fair golden head dropped,
but she drew nearer to him on the
porch seat.
"And how much more l love you
now" continued Wilbur seriously.
"And when I come home next Sumper'
l hope I can add to it all by asking
you to become my wife"
Il hope So" said Erna spontaneous
~, lifting her clear, honest eyes to
meet his own, "but you must not think
of that until your are sure that little
Eva and l will not be a burden to
you. All grandfather has left US is
this little place, and some money is
owing on that"
II hope to be able to clear up every
thing and MORE" spoke Wilbur CONT
IDENTITY "Send your sweet. best wishes
after me when I go back to work in
the city, that I may find some way or
earning more money than do now"
"Be patient, DEAR" soothed Erna en-
couragingly. "Our ship is sure to
come in some day, and it will be the
fnr
Wilbur was employed in broker
age office. Opportunity came to him
through this business connection OF
making money, but he had no capital
to invest. About two weeks after his
return to the city a close friend.
Paul Warfeld. dropped into his room
at his boarding house.
"I wish l had thousand dollars,
Wilbur" he said. "1've got tip that
would make me fortune in a month"
Wilbur smiled incredulously. He
had always kept away from tips and
speculative propositions generally,
and, besides, he realized that War
field was a good deal of a dreamer.
Don't laugh at me, Wilbur" said
Paul. 'This is no wild fantasy, but
a sure thing
"Some stock on the boom. eh?"
Nothing of the sort. It's sure
prospect. with a sound, substantial
basis. It's land-land that never de-
Gays, never burns up, never wears
out. Wall street can't play with it.
"Land with gold mine on it, sup
pose?' intimated Wilbur quizzically
"No, Wilbur, it's an eight-acre strip
and last week on the next forty a
prospector made strike. He sealed
the well, and is trying to keep his
discovery quiet until he can interest
some capitalist to buy up all the other
land in the vicinity. The very choic-
est is the piece have a chance to
buy. My OLD aunt is willing to in
vest half of the money required.
Couldn't you raise the other five hum
dred in some way, Wilbur
ooh. yes, sure; eertainly" derided
Wilbur "See," and he emptied his
pocket of the few coins it held. II
might buy a hundredth part Of an
acre." and just then one Of the coins
slipped through his careless fingers
and rolled against Pauls foot.
The latter picked it up to restore it
to it's owner Then with profound
stare and a voluble: Hello! Where
did YOU ever get that?" He held close
to the light the copper penny Erna
Barton had given to Wilbur. He
rubbed it. took out a magnifying glass
and added: "Say, did you know that
you have treasurer"
"What do you mean?" questioned
Wilbur.
"Why. that this is a Cirencester
penny of the period of King Stephen.
probably one of the rarest coins in
the world, centuries old. Will you let
me take il to an old collector
know? I'll be back in an hour
The hour was just up when Paul,
excited and breathless. returned. "One
of the only two known!" he fairly
shouted. '~The other is in the Brit
ish museum. have an offer of six