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 can't, sir; if I did, I never could tell a fortune agin."

"Well--well; come up; I have taken a fancy that you shall tell my
daughter's for all that."

"Surely there can be nothing but happiness before her, sir; she that is
so good to the poor and distressed; she that has all the world admirin'