Though he pretended to believe, and had
the habit of saying that he was ``weak and soft,'' was
always being misled by his good nature, he really
believed himself an unerring judge of human beings, and,
as his success evidenced, he was not far wrong. Thus,
though convinced that Mildred was a ``false alarm,''
his secret vanity would not let him release his original
idea. He had the tenacity that is an important element
in all successes; and tenacity become a fixed habit has
even been known to ruin in the end the very careers it
has made.
Said Mildred, in a manner which was astonishingly
unemotional and businesslike: ``I've not come to tattle
and to whine, Mr. Crossley. I've hesitated about coming
at all, partly because I've an instinct it's useless,
partly because what I have to say isn't easy.''
Crossley's expression hardened. The old story!--
excuses, excuses, self-excuse--somebody else to blame.
``If it hadn't been for Mr. Ransdell--the trouble
he took with me, the coaching he gave me--I'd have
been a ridiculous failure at the very first rehearsal.
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