sailor's jacket. She was repeating
some words rapidly to herself; but on hearing our approach, she quickly
collected her bundle together under her remnant of a cloak, and sat
waiting our approach in silence.

'It's Molly Ban!' said Louisa suddenly, and growing pale as she spoke.
'Give her something, if you have any money, I beseech you.'

There was no opportunity for inquiring further about her now, for the
old woman slowly rose from the stone by the aid of a stick, and stood
confronting us. Her figure was singularly short, scarce four feet in
height; but her head was enormously large, and her features, which were
almost terrific in ugliness, were swarthy as a gypsy's. A man's hat was
fastened upon her head by a red kerchief which was knotted beneath her
chin; a short cloak of faded scarlet, like what the peasantry of the
west usually wear, covered her shoulders, beneath which a patched and
many-coloured petticoat appeared, that reached to the middle of her
legs, which, as well as her feet, were completely naked, giving the old
woman a look of wildness and poverty which I cannot attempt to convey.
The most singular part of her costume, however, was a rude collar she
wore round her neck of sea-shells, among which, here and there, I could
detect some bits of painted and gilded carving, like fragments of a
wreck. This strange apparition now stood opposite me, her dark eyes
fixed steadily on my companion, to whom, unlike the people of the
country, she never made the slightest reverence, or showed any semblance
of respect.

'And was it to spy after me, Miss Loo, ye brought down yer sweetheart
to the well this evening?' said the hag, in a harsh, grating voice, that
seemed the very last effort of some suppressed passion.

Louisa's arm grasped mine, and I could feel it tremble with agitation as
she whispered in my ear--

'Give her money quickly; I know her.'

'And is your father going to send me back to jail because the cattle's
got the rot amongst them? Ha, ha, ha!' said she, breaking into a wild,
discordant laugh. 'There will be more mourning than for that at Castle
Bellew before long.'

Louisa leaned against me, faint and almost falling, while drawing out my
purse hastily I held forth my hand full of silver. The old hag clutched
at it eagerly, and as her dark eyes flashed fire, she thrust the money
into a pocket at her side, and again broke out into a horrid laugh.

'So, you're beginnin' to know me, are ye? Ye won't