“And this would be a investment, too,” says the Wife, “and a whole lot better chance o’ winnin’ than in one o’ them crooked card games.”

“What are you gettin’ at?” I ast her.

“This is what I’m gettin’ at,” she says, “though you’d ought to see it without me tellin’ you. This here Bishop’s made a big hit with Bess.”

“It’s been done before,” says I.

“Listen to me,” says the Frau. “It’s high time she was gettin’ married, and I don’t want her marryin’ none o’ them Hoosier hicks.”

“They’ll see to that,” I says. “They ain’t such hicks.”

“She could do a lot worse than take this here Bishop,” the Missus says. “Ten thousand a year ain’t no small change. And she’d be here in Chi; maybe they could find a flat right in this buildin’.”

“That’s all right,” I says. “We could move.”

“Don’t be so smart,” says the Missus. “It would be mighty nice for me to have her so near and it would be nice for you and I both to have a rich brother-in-law.”

“I don’t know about that,” says I. “Somebody might do us a mischief in a fit o’ jealous rage.”

“He’d show us enough good times to make up for whatever they done,” says the Wife. “We’re foolish if we don’t make no play for him and it’d be startin’ off right to take him along to this here op’ra and set him in the best seats. He likes good music and you can see he’s used to doin’ things in style. And besides, sis looks her best when she’s dressed up.”

Well, I finally give in and the Missus called Bessie out o’ the despondents’ ward and they was all smiles and pep, but they acted like I wasn’t in the