The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-12-08
The Missing
Fortune
By MURIEL BLAIR.

nQQ 10 WOrk, anu DcCduSe olS "lAu
storm had blown down some barns
and fences and nearly half the trees
in Chenille, thereby offering that in
dividual an opportunity to labor, sun
shine came suddenly into the life OF
)retty, Patient Ethel Moore.
She needed it, poor girl, and more
han deserved It, If ever loving, help
ul daughter and true and earnest
weetheart did. Ever since her mother
lad died Ethel had led hard, slave
like existence. They had not always
lived in Chenille. 1t was the lure Of
chance and fortune that had induced
William Moore. her father, to abandon
! q fairly prosperous store business In a
city so miles distant, to fill out, as he
| anticipated, the glowing dream Of his
life He had always longed for farm,
] and when he was called urgently to
the bedside Of his dying brother, Rob-
ert he felt certain that at last
| the coveted acme Of his ambition was
In sight.
Robert Moore reputed rich man,
| died before his brother reached him.
| In his will he left william everything.
When "everything" was matertalized
into coherency, to the surprise of his
! neghbors and the bitter dsappoint-
ment of the legatee, the estate COM
! prised only the old home, with It's
! weather-beaten porch and bOarded-up
| cupola dreary and gloomy In the ex-
| IRENE.
"The place will do to live in," mood
| fly decided William Moore, 'but what
| has ever become Of the stocks and
| bonds and money everybody knew my
| brother had six months before he
died?"
William Moore's. wife died, he sold
| out his business and then lost his cash
| In an unwise speculation.
Then the shoe began to pinch. He
had a small house In the city, which
! brought in q certain income, but not
| enough to cover living expenses.
Ethel learned to do dressmaking and
her little earnings helped to keep the
wolf from the door.
| It was when Archie Winston came
into her life that the days seemed
worth while and the nights were filled
with sweet dreams. The old man had
grown sour and selfish, and would not
hear Of a change in their domestic re-
lations.
II may get something yet out Of my
unfortunate investment" he was wont
to say.
It was several days after the big
storm and the fallen and hanging limbs
of the giant trees surrounding the
! Moore homestead had not been cleared
away.
| When John Davis came along one
morning Ethel listened to his applica-
| ton for work with interest and SYM
pathy.
"Tve been sick for long time, Miss
| Moore" he declared, land not able to
take steady job for some time ahead.
I'll trim out that hanging stuff up
around the house for fifty cents"
every WE'LL Mr.. Davis" she agreed
| after moment or two of wavering
thought. 1T isn't much to pay,
though"
| Its a lot to me-" sighed Davis,
thinking Of the hungry mouths at
home. you'll get blessing for this, "
he added.
Ethel went into the house with
thoughts Of the struggling brood of
| children Of John Davis in her mind.
She remembered an old trunk in the
| attic filed with odds and ends, and
wondered If she would be likely to find
| anything of service to the Davis house
hold.
| Several old garments she dlscov-
ered might be utilized. She was kneel-
ing by the trunk, engrossed In her
task, when a most unearthly hubbub
drove her to her feet with a shock.
ooh, dear! what can have hap
pened?" gasped Ethel breathlessly.
Then, as she dashed outside, she
saw her father standing in the garden,
waving his arms frantically.
"You've ruined the looks Of the
house, he was storming at John
Davis
The latter sat on the ground staring
vacantly at mass Of wreckage near
by. It was the shattered remnants OF
the old cupola.
Mr.. Moore advanced to where the
ruins Of the cupola lay. Ethel heard
him utter a strange cry. She ran to-
wards him as he stopped over and
picked something up.
It was tin box. Her father lifted
its CATCH threw back the cover and
nearly fell over as a great conviction
illumined his mind.
"Quick, daughter!" he painted. "Pa'
pers-and money! If it should be my
brothers missing fortune at last-!'
1t was, at last, and in full. The hid
ing place of the missing fortune had
come to light through Ethel Moores
kind deed. 1t meant so much to VIII
liam Moore that he seemed to grow
| younger in an hour. He sent John
Davis home feeling rich, and he told
Archie and Ethel that evening that