The Sneedville news. (Sneedville, Tenn.) 191?-19??, 1922-09-29
BILLS HALF-H0UR
BY n. LOUIS RAYBoLD
.s2Ss2s1S2STSSSS
q by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)

picked up the letter which lay on his
desk. unfolded 1t, ana read. His
whistle stopped abruptly.
Head propped III his two hands, he
read the letter again, spread out on
his desk, as If a second perusal might
alter the situation.
Dear Bill-Don't think that have
forgotten you, for all the long silence.
When l told you l did not love you
enough to marry, bu, loved your
friend instead, l was wrong. He
never asked me again, by the way.
II you still want me, will marry
you. In fact, / am taking a chance
and coming out by the 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 Shawl Yes. he had once
thought he loved her-had been pref
ty well 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 Matsonih would dock.
bringing Eileen's aunt to the wedding
from her home in the States, and also
Beatrice. How could he explain to
Eileen that this girl had no claim
on him7 That the old affair-and II
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 day?
Bill rose and faced the floor Of the
comfortable study he shared with his
old friend and present fellow worker
at the Inter-Island Navigation com
pany with nervous. angry strides.
Then a strong desire surged within
him to share his trouble with some
| one.
Should he tell Eileeni Instinct
urged him to wait. yet the longing ia
hear her voice was overpowering.
He took down the receiver and
called the number Of her fathers
plantation on the city's outskirts.
THAT you. Eileen"
"Busy7"
anxious for tomorrow"
"Suppose-suppose you should hear
oh. nothing, dear: ! don't know
what Tn saying"
"Of course I love you. No, there
never was any one else. On my wero
OF honor Eileen!"
And yet. a. he hung up. Bin could
see the Matsonia steaming nearer
and nearer, bringing the girl who sp-
parently thought he still cared. ~.
hing II, he evidently must have
seemed to care years ago, when.
spurred by moonlight night at .
dance ut Coronado. he had suggested
they he engaged. So long ago had Il
been that he had even forgotten why
she had turned him down. oh. the
letter had mentioned his friend.
What friend? To Billy the whole mat
ter was as vague as that.
Desperately Bill sat down and tried
10 reason way out Of the tnngle.
lie would get his roommate 10 go
down 10 the MatsonIa and explain to
Beatrice that he was about 10 he
married. that she was mistaken In
thinking he cared. that she must re-
turn on the next boat. providing she
had funds. But. hang II. his room
mate. the only one he could trust not
70 let the cat out OF the bag to
Eileen. had other duties as hest man.
lie was 10 meet Eileen's aunt. take
her to the church and return imme-
diately 10 accompany Bill.
Meanwhile Beatrice. wondering why
Bill had not met her. would probably
he hunting him up. ana like as not
stumble on him as he entered the
church, A nice contretemps that
would he! For 10 BllI's dlsordered
mind 10 seemed quite possible that
any girl capable of chasing nm old
and discarded lover 10 Honolulu
would he quite as capable Of break
ing IN n wedding with another girl
on the spot.
A wild thought leaped In Bill's
brain. Suppose he bolied! Or sup
pose he dashed out 10 EIIeen's AMI
demanded she elope. Yet where could
they clone to before Beatrice arrivedi
The islands are circumscribed when
II comes 20 gossip and he was In a
position 20 know that not even
tramp steamer for the South seas
would be leaving port.
Hark Who was that coming In
downsiaIrsi A shiver 81 apprehen-
sion shook Bnl: then angrily he
shrugged his shoulders. The Matsonia
hadn't raised Diamond Head yet. Al
worst u would only be his roommate.
His roommate u was. who bounded
m the stairs two steps NJ n time and
hurst In the door.
Caught ride hack on Cramer's
Yacht. ~ got here sooner. IIow's the
little bridegroom, You're looking
.ecdy. Brace M and tell me what
ron think ~ double wedding"
"a double wedding. WHY"
-Surp, Didn't you read the little
note left on your desk for you "a
rpadl or did ron think :, was yours