The man was bare-headed, and his scalp was covered with a shiny substance of some kind.

When he saw Perkins, he emptied one load of bird-shot into the inventor's legs, and he was about to give him the contents of the other barrel, when Perkins hobbled into the office and shut the door.

The man pursued him and tried to break in the door with the butt of the gun.

He failed, and Perkins asked him what he meant by such murderous conduct.
"You come out here, and I'll show you what I mean, you scoundrel!" said the man.

"You step out here for a minute, and I'll blow the head off of you for selling me hair vigor that has gummed my head up so that I can't wear a hat and can't sleep without sticking to the pillow-case.