Answer :
In the short story "The Sniper" by Liam O'Flaherty, "The cold gleam of the fanatic" indirectly characterizes his devotion to his beliefs.
The lines "His face was the face of a student, thin and ascetic, but his eyes had the cold gleam of the fanatic. They were deep and thoughtful, the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death." The protagonist, the sniper, has been described as a fanatic who is calculated and focused on his craft. He is fastidious about his affairs and not squeamish at all as he has come face to face with death many times. He is confident of his talent and is eager to learn more about his craft.
