Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
BILLS BAD HALF-HOUR.
A Short Story.
ny n. LOUIS RAYBOLD.

4
Copyright, 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper
syndicste)
Bill Evans, whhtllns aloud out OK
his happy, care-free young heart'
picked up the letter which lay on
his desk. unfolded 1t. and read. HIS
whistle stopped abruptly. Not only
that. but an expression of utmost
horror crept over his face and his
handsome dark eyes took on look
almost Of fear, certainly OF baff'ed |
bewilderment.
Hesd propped In his two hands. ne |
read the letter again, spread out on |
his desk, as II a second perusal |
might alter the situation.
Dear Bill--Don't think that
have forgotten you, for sll the long |
silence. When 1 told you / did not |
love you enough TO marry, but loved /
your friend instead. ! was wrong.
He never asked me again. by the |
way If you still want me. l VIII
marry you In fact. [ am taking
q chance and coming out by tho next
boat, which will dock at Honolulu
almost as soon as you receive this
letter. II you don't want me, Bill,
why. can at least go home again
As ever. Beatrice Shaw"
Beatrice Shaw Yes. he had once
thought he loved her--had been
pretty we'll cut up when she turned
him down. But he hadn't thought
Of her for months. Not since he
had met Eileen Cary TO whom he
was to be married at noon tomorrow.
| But noon tomorrow Why, that
was when the Matsonia would dock.
bringing Eileen's aunt IN the we'd
ding from her home In the States.
and also Beatrice. How could ne ex-
plain to Eileen that this girl had
no claim on him7 That the old af-
Ifair-and IL had hardly been that
was over and done with years ago.
How could he know that Beatrice
would revive an affection for him
she had never shown and out OF
a clear sky would descend to ruin
his wedding day7 What madness all
ed the girl?
Bill rose and paced the floor OF the
comfortable study he shared With his
old friend and present fellow worker
lat the Inter Island Navigation Com
pany with nervous. angry strides.
Then a strong desire surged within
him tn share his trouble with some
lone. His roommate was of on an eX-
cursion 10 TIilo and would not he back
until evening. Just IN time TO take MS
mart In the rehearsal for the wedding
Tomorrow. when he was to- he best
, man for Bill.
sbouId he tell Eileen7 Instinct
urged him 10 wait. yet the longing to
\ hear her voice was overpowering
parbans he wouldn't hear 1t many
g t,roes more. she was an obstinate
$ litt,e thing and Bill left forlornlS
Q that did she ever hear of Beatrice
:. and rnisconstrue tho situation. sne
Y would he quite capable of throwing
] him down hard.
c re ,ook down the receiver and
called the number n her fatner
!. plantation on the city's o"tsKirts'
THAT you, EileenT'
"Busy7''
Anxious for tomorrow
= "supposs~-suppose you should hear
J oh. nothing, dear: don't know wna'
I'm saying"
a "of course I love you. No. there
nevsr was any ono else. On my worc
= Of honor. EiIeen!"
& And vet. as he hung up, BIZ cooio
@ sec the Matsonia steaning nearer anc
nearer bringing the girl who sppar'
. sntlv thought he still cared. as, hans
o ~ he evidently must have seemed te
n care those cons ago. when. spurree
o bv 4 moonlight night at a dance a.
Coronado. ne had suggested they n
Q engaged. SO long ago had &c been thai
& he had even forgotten why sne haf
g turned him down. Oh. the letter ha6
q mentioned his friend. What friend! u
Billy the whole matter was as vague
ae that.
Yet there was nothing vague aoou
the imuainence of the Matsonia. fo'
~. could regulate your life by the ar
u rival and departure Of that schedule
adhering steamer.
Vt Desperately Bill sat down and trie'
! to reason a way out Of the tangle. III
- would get his roommate to go dow
J. 10 the Matsonia and explain TO Beatric
e that ne was about to be married. tha
S. she was mistaken in thinloins ne car
Il ed, that she must return on the mex
l. boat, providing abe had funds. But, nan
Ie II. his roommate, the only one he coul'
% trust not to let the cat out Of the bal
W to Eileen, had other duties as bes
n man. He was to meet Eileen's aunt
take her 70 the church and return i'm
w mediately TO accompany Bill
n Meanwhile Beatrice. wondering VIII
8 Bill had not met her. would prohabl
ii be hunting him up. and Ike as no
d stumble on him as he entered N
n church! A nice contretemps tina
Is would bel For to Bills disordere
IS mind It seemed quite possible that an
III girl capable Of chasing an old an
lie discarded lover 20 Honolulu would b
y quite as capable Of breaking Up
wedding with another girl on the spo
a wild thought leaped in Bills braii
Suppose he bolted. Or suppose :
, dashed out to Eileen's and denaande
she elope. Yet where could they elop
Il. to before Beatrice arrived? The island
n are circumscribed when IL comes
st gossip and he was in a position {
'g know that not even a tramp steamt
~ for the south seas was leaving por
III Hark! Who was that coming
ld downstairs? A shiver Of apprehensic
N shook Bill; then angrily he shrut
en- ged his shoulders. The Matson
ne hadn't raised Diamond Head yet. I
In worst It would only be his rooparst
His roommate it was. who bounds
sc up the stairs two steps at a time ar