It seemed growing on him.

Now and then he was compelled to make quite an effort to get sufficient air into his lungs.
He found himself wondering if there was a possibility that the girl might return.

For a long time he lay thinking about her, and it struck him as incongruous and in bad taste that fate should have left this adventure for his last.

If he had met her six months ago--or even three--it was probable that she would so have changed the events of life for him that he would not have got the half-breed's bullet in his chest.

He confessed the thing unblushingly.