It was wielded by a man on a powerful horse that seemed wild with the battle fever.

The horse, at the moment, was more terrible than his rider.

His mouth was dripping with foam, and his lips were curled back from his cruel, white teeth.

His eyes, large and shot with blood, were like those of some huge, carnivorous animal.
The boy recoiled, more in fear of the horse than of the saber, and snatching a heavy pistol from his belt, fired directly at the great foam-flecked head.

The horse crashed down, but his rider sprang clear and retreated into the smoke.