McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-08-21


has been here, succeeded in recon-
structing the details of it, thanks to
certain words an intermittent delirium
snatches from him. Hence, will give
it to you as see it, sure that my vision
does not deceive me.
''GuidO Ventura, when he came to
Paris, was accompanied by young wo-
man named Miss Arabella. She was
superb creature, scarcely twenty years
of age, with the head of goddess and
the figure of a statue. Admirers were
not lacking, and in less than a week it
become the fashion to go see the splen-
did Miss Arabella aid in his exercises
the celebrated marksman, Guido Ven
tura. She stood proudly, her arms
folded, her visage impossible, fifteen
PAGES from Guido Ventura, who direct
ed upon her the vain menace of his
pistol, the infallible ball of which cut a
card between her fingers, broke the
bowl of pipe two inches from her lips,
and crushed the shell of nut on her
head.
"a slight trembling of the marks
mans hand and all would have been
over with the superb Arabella. But
the hand of Guido Ventura never trem-
bled.
evidently Guido, Ventura loved
this creature like an idol. To be con-
WINGED of it, it sufficel to surprise one
OF those glances that shot from his
eyes each time when in the foyer of
the theater, where he was awaiting his
turn to 90 upon the stage, when some
gallant was unusually attentive to the
handsome girl. Was he jealous, also?
Certainly; and must have suffered
atrociously, for his companion, as CO.
quettish as beautiful, seemed to delight
in exasperating his jealousy.
''On one occasion the mana ger of
the Alcazar d'Automne stopped her in
the wings, as she was escaping with a
laugh from a circle of wine-excited
coXcombs.
'' See here, my little one," he whis-
pered in her ear, you'd better take
care. Every evening that man holds
your life at his mercy
''Arabella burst out laughing.
'' He kill me?' cried she, Struggling
her shoulders. Get along with you;
he thinks too much of me to harm a
hair of my head
''And every night she stood before
the muzzle of the pistol with the same
tranquility, fascinating the rebellion
of her lover, as the eye of tanner fas-
cinates that of wild beast.
Zone evening, when the name OF
Guido Ventura and that of Arabella
mad been shining scarcely week upon
the bills of the Alcazar d'Automne, a
gentleman of fine appearance entered
the foyer, went straight to the woman,
who uttered a slight ely of surprise,
and taking her hands.kissed the tips of
her fingers. Guido Ventura, who had
been talking to the manager, turned
and suddenly grew very pale. The
man who had just entered was rich
Yankee whose attention to Miss Ara
bella had made some noise in New
York. 1t was because of him particu-
larly that the marksman had made his
in Paris, and fastened his
departure from America. But this man
now had taken notion to follow them,
for it was on account of Arabella that
he had come to Paris. As soon as he
had ascertained where she had gone,
he had taken passage on the next
steamer. That night as she was re-
turr ing to her dressing-room, Guido
Ventura made terrible scene with his
companion.
'.But the most terrible scene took
place some nights late- For a week
the American had hung about Arabel-
las footsteps. Guido Ventura had
striven to exact that the manager of
the Alcazar d'Automne should pro-
hibit him from entering the coulisses.
But, having made his way into the man
agerial Office with his hat in his hand,
the American emerged putting his wal
let back into his pocket, and there was
no longer question of his exile.
''That night, when Arabella was pre-
pairing to assume her pages dress for
the performance, Guido Ventura saw a
paper fall from her corsage. He picked
it up and read it; it was love letter,
proposing to the young girl an elope-
ment and marriage the next day. When
he came down into the foyer, the
marksman had knitted brows and a
quivering lip. He took pistol and
aimed at his own image IN MIR
ror to try his hand. His hand did not
tremble.
give minutes afterwards he was on
the stage, commencing his exercises.
AS he turned he saw behind him in the
coulisse the American leaning against
a fiat. Just at that instant Miss Ara
bella planted herself in front of him,
her arms folded, her nutshell placed
upon her head. She smiled. On whom
was she smiling? On the man who was
there behind him! Guido Ventura saw
it clearly from the direction of her
glance! Suddenly, her eyes having
moved, she ceased to smile and shad-
ow passed across her visage. Standing
before her, Guido Ventura took aim
full at her forehead.
The report rang out and Miss Ara
bella fell dead upon the boards. When
they tore from his arms the corpse