As he rode the boy grew very sad and discouraged.

He had again given away to the spirit of murder.

Again he had intended to kill, and he seemed to see two falling figures; one, the man he had smitten with his fist, the other one whose revolver was flashing fire as he fell.
Then he thought of Mary and the sad look in her eyes when she should hear of his fighting again.

She would not be able to get at the true story.

She would not know that these men attacked him first and that he fought in self-defense.