Sentence:  before he stepped forward uttering the stereotyped greeting, the Texan had put him down as the <WSD>jefe</WSD> or head man."..." / Snatching up the rifle he lit out after the <WSD>jefe</WSD>, who had left two jumps ahead of the smoke. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An officer with political influence; a head or chief in government, such as a sheriff, particularly where that person is Hispanic or of Mexican descent.