--and Tom sleep under the stairs--eh?
Say aye, an' you be tall too."

"To be sure, Tom; go into the house, and your cousin Larry Lanigan, the
cook, will give you a bully dinner; and sleep where you like."

The squire walked up and down the avenue in a thoughtful mood for some
moments until another of our characters met him on his way towards the
entrance gate. This person was no other than Molly Mahon.

"Ha!" said he, "here is another of them--well, poor devils, they must
live. This, though, is the great fortune-teller. I will try her."

"God save your honor," said Molly, as she approached him and dropped a
courtesy.

"Ah, Molly," said he, "you can see into the future, they say. Well,
come now, tell me my fortune; but they say one must cross your palm with
silver before you can manage the fates; here's a shilling for you, and
let us hear what you have to say."

"No, sir," replied Molly, putting back his hand, "imposthors may do
that, because they secure themselves first and tell you nothing worth
knowin' afterwards. I take no money till I first tell the fortune."

"Well, Molly, that's honest at all events; let me hear what you have to
tell me."

"Show me your hand, sir," said she, and taking it, she looked into it
with a solemn aspect. "There, sir," she said, "that will do. I am sorry
I met you this evening."

"Why so, Molly?"

"Because I read in your hand a great deal of sorrow."

"Pooh, you foolish woman--nonsense!"

"There's a misfortune likely to happen to one of your family; but I
think it may be prevented."

"How will it be prevented?"

"By a gentleman that has a title and great wealth, and that loves the
member of your family that the misfortune is likely to happen to."

The squire paused and looked at the woman, who seemed to speak
seriously, and even with pain.

"I don't believe a word of it, Molly; but granting that it be true, how
do you know it?"

"That's more than I can tell myself, sir," she replied. "A feelin' comes
over me, and I can't help speakin' the words as they rise to my lips."

"Well, Molly, here's a shilling for you now; but I want you to see my
daughter's hand till I hear what you have to say for her. Are you a
Papist, Molly?"

"No, your honor, I was one wanst; but the moment we take to this way of
life we mustn't belong to any religion, otherwise we couldn't tell the
future."

"Sell yourself to the devil, eh?"

"Oh, no, sir; but--"

"But what? Out with it."

"I