“I do; I'm sure of it. But you must recollect besides, that John Cross is a preacher, already sworn in, as I may say. Stevens is only a beginner. Besides, John Cross is an old man; Stevens, a young one. John Cross don't care a straw about all the pretty girls in the country. He works in the business of souls, not beauties, and it's very clear that Stevens not only loves a pretty girl, but that he's over head and heels in love with your Margaret--” “Say no more. If he will fight, Ned Hinkley, he shall fight!” “Bravo, Bill--that's all that I was arguing for--that's all that I want. But you must make at Margaret Cooper also.” “Ah! Ned, there I confess my fears.” “Why, what are you afraid of?” “Rejection!” “Is that worse than this suspense--this anxiety--this looking out from morning till night for the sunshine, and this constant apprehension of the clouds--this knowing not what to be about--this sulking--this sadding--this growling--this grunting--this muling--this moping--this eternal vinegar-face and ditchwater-spirit?” “I don't know, Ned, but I confess my weakness--my want of courage in this respect!” “Psho! the bark's worse always than the bite. The fear worse than the danger! Suspense is the very d--l! Did you ever hear of the Scotch parson's charity? He prayed that God might suspend Napoleon over the very jaws of hell--but 'Oh, Lord!' said he, 'dinna let him fa' in!' To my mind, mortal lips never uttered a more malignant prayer!” CHAPTER XVIII. TRAILING THE FOX. This dialogue was broken by a summons to the breakfast-table. We have already intimated that while the hateful person of Stevens was an inmate of his own house, William Hinkley remained, the better portion of his time, at that of his cousin. It was not merely that Stevens was hateful to his sight, but such was the devotion of his father and mother to that adventurer, that the young man passed with little notice from either, or if he incurred their attention at all, it was only to receive their rebuke. He had not been able to disguise from them his dislike to Stevens. This dislike showed itself in many ways--in coldness, distance, silence--a reluctance to accord the necessary civilities, and in very unequivocal glances of hostility from the eyes of the jealous young villager.