Sentence:  <WSD>Now</WSD> , Adam , in the gray light of afternoon , stared across at the hut opposite his tent , and thought of Simms Purdew lying in there in the gloom , snoring on his bunk , with the fumes of whisky choking the air . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events