For it was one of
his maxims that a man may act as heartlessly as he likes, but to be
successful he must never let himself grow heartless. From the moment
that he ceases to be capable of feeling, he loses touch with the
thoughts and sensibilities of others. And his power of feeling "with"
others was one of Travers' chief business assets.
It is dangerous, however, to play with emotions that are never to be
allowed an active influence. They have a trick of growing by leaps and
bounds, and before the will has time to realize that an enemy is at
its gates, to fling their whole force against the citadel and
overwhelm the dazed defenses. How near Archibald Travers came that
morning to yielding to himself he never knew. Lois' happy, thankful
face hovered constantly before his eyes. He felt very tender toward
her. He felt that he should like to be able to think of her in the
keeping of a good man--like Stafford--who, if pig-headed and bigoted,
was yet calculated to stick to a woman and make her happy. Looking
straight at himself and his past, Travers could not be sure that he
would stick to any one. Also there was the Rajah, optimistic, and
trusting, so much so that it left an unpleasant taste in the mouth to
fool him.
But above all else, there was Lois. Lois recurred to him constantly,
overshadowing every other consideration. He thought of her in all her
aspects: Lois, the enterprising, the energetic, plucky, daredevil
comrade; Lois, the ever-ready, untiring, uncomplaining partner in the
hunt, on the tennis-court, in the ball-room; Lois, the woman, with her
gentle charm, her tenderness, her frankness, her truth.
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