It wa'n't anything else. I knew she'd be to home, 'cause I'd heard she was too grouchy to go to the weddin' or have anything to do with it; so when Marie let us in I throws a tall bluff and says for her to tell Aunt Laura I've brought some one she wants to see very partic'lar. "Why," says Mr. Morgan, "there's been some mistake, hasn't there! I know no such person. Why should she wish to see me?" "Sh-h-h-h!" says I. "Maybe she'll feed you frosted cake. It's one of her tricks." She didn't, though. She looked about as smilin' as a dill pickle when she showed up, and she opened the ball by askin' what I meant, bringin' strangers there. "Well," says I, "you've been askin' a lot about him lately; so I thought I'd lug him around. This is Brother Bill." "What!" says she, squealin' it out like I'd said the house was afire. "Not the brother of that--that Morgan girl?" "Ask him," says I. "You're a star at that." Then I takes a peek at Bill. And say, I was almost sorry I'd done it. For a party that'd just broke jail, he could stand the least I ever saw. He looks as mixed up and helpless as a lady that's took a seat in the smokin' car by mistake. I'd have helped him out then if I could have thought how. It was too late, though, and Aunt Laura was no quitter. "How long is it," says she, jerkin' her head back and throwin' a look out of her narrow eyes that must have gone clear through him, "since you got out of the State penitentiary?" "Why--why--er--er----" begins Brother Bill. Then he has the biggest stroke of luck that ever came his way; for Marie pushes in with the silver plate and a card on it. "Thank goodness!" says Aunt Laura, lookin' at the card. "The very person I need! Ask Dr. Wackhorn to step in here." I thought he must be a germ chaser; but it was just a minister, a solid, prosperous lookin' old gent, with white billboards and a meat safe on him like a ten-dollar Teddy bear. He looks at Brother Bill, and Bill looks at him. "Why, my dear William!" sings out the Doc, rushin' over with the glad hand out. In two minutes it's all over. Dr. Wackhorn has introduced Bill as his ex-assistant, who's gone West and got himself a job as chaplain in a State prison, and Aunt Laura loses her breath tryin' to apologize to both of 'em at once. Think of that! We'd been playin' him for all kinds of a crook, and here he was a sure enough minister! Well, I gets him back to the church just in time for the last curtain, so he can see what a stunner Mildred was in her canopy-top outfit. He's all right, Brother Bill is. Never gives me any call-down for shuntin' him off the way I did and makin' him miss most of the show. As I says to him afterward: "Bill," says I, "that was one on me. But we did throw the hook into Aunt Laura some! What?" CHAPTER VII KEEPING TABS ON PIDDIE