Lister was not fastidious, and, as a rule, did not stop long enough at one spot to justify his making his shack comfortable.

Besides, he found it necessary to concentrate on his work, and had not much time to think about refinements.
All the same, he felt the shack was dreary and his life was bleak.

He had not felt this until he went to Winnipeg.

On the whole, he had liked the struggle against physical obstacles.

It was his proper job, but the struggle was stern and sometimes exhausting, and his reward was small.
Now he wanted something different, and gave himself to vague and brooding discontent.
Ruth Duveen had broken his former tranquillity.