What role does love play in "A Retrieved Reformation"?

Love as a motivating factor plays a major role in O. Henry's "A Retrieved Reformation."
When Jimmy Valentine receives a pardon from his prison sentence for robbery, the warden admonishes Jimmy to reform.

"Now, Valentine," said the warden, "you'll go out in the morning. Brace up, and make a man of yourself. You're not a bad fellow at heart. Stop cracking safes, and live straight."
"Me?" said Jimmy, in surprise. "Why, I never cracked a safe in my life."

This response of Jimmy's strongly suggests that he has no intention of reforming as the warden has encouraged him. In fact, on the day that he is released, Jimmy heads to the depot and takes a train. Three hours later, he returns to his room. "Everything was just as he had left it." From behind a wall, Jimmy pulls out his suitcase containing his burglar's tools. In a short time, Jimmy leaves his room, "dressed in well-fitting clothes." He carries his suitcase, now dusted and cleaned.
After a week there is a report of a safe-burglary in Richmond, Indiana. Like other recent robberies, there are no clues left behind. Later, more bank robberies occur. The losses become so great that Ben Price, the detective who previously captured Jimmy, is called upon to conduct an investigation. However, an abrupt end to safe-burglary occurs. The cause of this termination is love. Jimmy Valentine has fallen in love after he stops in a small town in Arkansas. There he goes by the alias of Ralph D. Spencer, and he adores Annabel Adams, the daughter of the bank's owner. Because of his love for Annabel, he goes into business in Elmore, Arkansas, opening an exclusive shoe store.

Mr. Ralph Spencer, the phoenix that arose from Jimmy Valentine's ashes—ashes left by the flame of a sudden and alternative attack of love—remained in Elmore, and prospered.

By the end of a year, Ralph Spencer is part of the community and has won the respect of many; further, "Annabel's pride in him almost equaled her affection." Jimmy even writes to a friend in St. Louis one day, offering him his suitcase of "tools" if he will meet Jimmy at a certain place. His friend accepts this generous offer, so Ralph tells his betrothed that he is going to Little Rock to order his wedding suit and to buy something for Annabel. But Annabel wants him to first accompany her and members of her family to the bank where a new safe and vault have just been installed.
As the adults talk, nine-year-old May playfully shuts little Agatha in the vault. She even "shot the bolts and turned the knob of the combination" as she has seen one of the bank workers do. While this is going on, Ben Price enters the bank. Hearing the bolts, Mr. Adams tugged at the door. Then, he says, "The door can't be opened. . . . The clock hasn't been wound nor the combination set." This announcement creates hysteria in Agatha's mother. Annabel turns to Jimmy, "her large eyes full of anguish. Can't you do something, Ralph?—try, won't you?"
Again, Ralph's love for Annabel wins over his heart. Knowing that he will return to prison if he reveals his tools and skills in safe-breaking, he, nevertheless, does what he can to save little Agatha. After the safe is opened, it is Jimmy Valentine who puts on his coat and walks toward the front door. Once again, however, love supersedes all other matters. Waiting at the door for Jimmy is Ben Price. Acknowledging the detective, Jimmy says with resignation, "Well, let's go." But, love moves Ben Price because he says, "Guess you're mistaken, Mr. Spencer. . . . Don't believe I recognized you. . . . " In the end, love saves him.