And all because of a girl! To him that was the peculiar
feature of the disturbance in his nature. He, Philip Crane, the strong
man of strong men, to be shorn of his indifference to everything but
success by a girl unskilled in managing anything but a horse.
"It's all very fine to argue it out with one's self," he thought, "but I
simply can't help it." He was astonished to find that he was pacing up
and down the floor of his apartment. Undoubtedly he was possessed of a
tremendous regard for the girl Allis. But why not put it from him; why
not conquer himself as he had always done? To let it master him meant
the giving up of things that were almost second nature. He could not
love the girl as a good woman should be loved, and--and--well, the gray
eyes that had their strength because of supreme honesty would surely
bring him disquietude. It would indeed be difficult to change his
nature much; his habits were almost like leopard's spots; they were
grown into the woof of his existence. Even if he won her it must be
almost entirely because of a superior diplomacy. Everything told him
that his love was not returned. It seemed almost impossible that it
should be; there was not more disparity in their years than in their two
selves.
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