The result of the code below is that the second and third lines are right-justified as one would expect, but the word "them" at the end of the first line (just after "checked") extends to the right of that vertical line by the width of the "m". Why does that happen?
\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{fullpage}
\setlength{\parindent}{3mm}
\setlength{\parskip}{12pt}
\newenvironment{qwote}
{\begin{quote}\setlength{\parskip}{5pt}\setlength{\parindent}{6mm}}
{\end{quote}}
\begin{document}
\begin{description}
\item [Chapter 6, ``Spaceman'' Jones. page 59.]
\begin{qwote}
The crewman who had checked them into the ship told
them to follow him; he led them to the Purser's office.
\,\dots\, Max surrendered his forged personal record
book, while feeling as if the deception were stamped
on it in bold letters.
\end{qwote}
\end{description}
\end{document}