They heard it a minute later, and then saw him behind a pine about five hundred yards away.

After sending his bullet into the valley he had withdrawn a little and was slipping another cartridge into the fine breech-loading rifle that he carried, the most modern and highly improved weapon then used, as Warner could clearly see.
"Would you let me take a look at him through your glasses ?" asked Reed.
"Certainly," replied Warner, handing them to him.
"Jest as I thought," said Reed, as he took a long look.

"He's done gone plum' mad with the wish to kill.

It strikes them evil-minded critters that way sometimes, an' he's had so much luck shootin' down at us, an' keepin' a whole little army besieged that it's mounted to his head.
Ef he had his way he'd jest wipe us all out." "A sanguinary and savage mind," said Warner.

"It's the spirit of the rattlesnake or the cobra, and we must exterminate him.