the gate, and
she'll be able to tell you whether they are at home or not."

"O, that's the woman they say is unlucky," observed his
mistress--"unlucky to meet, I mean; I have often heard of her; indeed,
it may be so, for I believe there are such persons; we shall speak to
her, however. My good woman," she said, addressing Pugshy, "allow me to
ask, have you been at Mr. Goodwin's?"

Now Pugshy had all the legitimate characteristics of an "unlucky" woman;
red-haired, had a game eye--that is to say, she squinted with one of
them; Pugshy wore a caubeen hat, like a man; had on neither shoe nor
stocking; her huge, brawny arms, uncovered almost to the shoulders,
were brown with freckles, as was her face; so that, altogether, she
would have made a bad substitute either for the Medicean Venus or the
Apollo Belvidere.

"My good woman, allow me to ask if you have been at Mr. Goodwin's."

Pugshy, who knew her well, stood for a moment, and closing the eye with
which she did not squint, kept the game one fixed upon her very steadily
for half a minute, and as she wore the caubeen rather rakishly on one
side of her head, her whole figure and expression were something between
the frightful and the ludicrous.

"Was I at Misther Goodwin's, is it? Lord love you, ma'am, (and ye need
it, _sotto voce_), an' maybe you'd give us a thrifle for the male's
mate; it's hard times wid us this weader."

"I have no change; I never bring change out with me."

"You're goin' to Mr. Goodwin's, ma'am?"

"Yes; are he and Mrs. Goodwin at home, can you tell me?"

"They are, ma'am, but you may as well go back again; you'll have no luck
this day."

"Why so?"

"Why, bekaise you won't; didn't you meet me? Who ever has luck that
meets me? Nobody ought to know that betther than yourself, for, by all
accounts, you're tarred wid the same stick."

"Foolish woman," replied Mrs. Lindsay, "how is it in your power to
prevent me?"

"No matther," replied the woman; "go an; but mark my words, you'll have
your journey for nuttin', whatever it is. Indeed, if I turned back three
steps wid you it might be otherwise, but you refused to cross my hand,
so you must take your luck," and with a frightful glance from the eye
aforesaid, she passed on.

As she drove up to Mr. Goodwin's residence she was met on the steps of
the hall-door by that kind-hearted gentleman and his wife, and received
with a feeling of gratification which the good people could not
disguise.