In the mind of James Grenfell Kent, sergeant in the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, there remained no shadow of a doubt.

He knew that he was dying.

He had implicit faith in Cardigan, his surgeon friend, and Cardigan had told him that what was left of his life would be measured out in hours--perhaps in minutes or seconds.

It was an unusual case.
There was one chance in fifty that he might live two or three days, but there was no chance at all that he would live more than three.

The end might come with any breath he drew into his lungs.