The Globe-republican., 1890-12-17

every one Knows 1t IS necessary to hit
the bulls eye. Wainwright arose early
with plan fully thought out
Come" he said to Scott, I'VE haven't
too much time before us We must 90
down to Maupassant's gallery and get
some practice. You stay here and have
some breakfast. l don't care to eat so
early. I'll run down there and see if
we can't get the gallery all to ourselves
for couple of hours"
THAT will be pretty costly. won't it?''
hazarded Scott.
Not more than . decent coffin, and
all the other funeral fxings," replied
Wainwright, with some little sarcasm.
''1f possible want to throw those ex-
penses on the other fellow"
Wainwright jumped into cab, and,
leaving Scott to his reflection and
coffee, dashed of to the Gallery MAJ
PEASANT, where for upwards of half an
hour he remained closeted with its pro-
prietor.
1T is agreed, then" said Wainwright,
at the conclusion of the interview.
Now, then. NJ. Maupassant, there are
two hundred and fifty francs down.
The remainder of the five hundred
you get if this duel doesn't come off,"
Agreed" said the Frenchman, and
he sat down and wrote at least twenty
letters like the following:
IN. Maupassant requests the pleas
ure of your company tomorrow az
ternoon at three p m. to witness the
phenomenal shooting of an American
gentleh IN, who has kindly consented
to give an exhibition of his skill at
that hour"
While NJ. Maupassant was thus en-
gagged. Wainwright put in half an hour
in the Rue du Peti Champs, where he
made sundry purchases, returning with
them to the gallery, where the next
hour was profitably employed by him
in company with an ingenious mechanic.
Meantime. as the idea grew upon the
mind of NJ. Maupassant, he chuckled
and wrote, extending his invitations
until. if one-half of them were accept
ed, the question was: Would there be
standing room in the gallery?
1--WE must certainly go down and see
this American Shoot" said NJ. Terriers
second. "You may find some Of his
tricks useful to you at Auvergne to-
morrow"
NJ. Terrier. whose courage was not of
the fve-o'clock-in-t he-morning kind,
shivered slightly, though the weather
was decidedly warm.
II wish the fellow had chosen
rapiers," ne muttered. The Americans
are such devils with the pistol"
1t was three o'clock in the afternoon.
NJ. Maupassant's gallery was crowed.
NJ Ferrier had an excellent seat He
sat talking with his friend and second.
He had been drinking somewhat to
keep his courage UP, and his voice
could be heard all over the room. With
a Frenchman's love of esclandre, his
second had talked freely of the meeting
of the morrow.
As the American had not yet come .
dozen voices called on Terrier to step
down and get some practice, and amuse
the company at the same time.
Ferrier, who was really good shot,
was not a little proud of it, and with
such an audience he was not slow to
avail himself of the opportunity thus
afforded of displaying his skill.
Throwing off his coat, he stepped
down on the floo- OF the gallery, and
picking up pistol, marked two bulls
eyes in rapid succession.
His third bullet went just above. how
ever. an inch, at least, to the right
Your pistol is little heavy on the
trigger. Monsieur" said q voice behind
him.
Turning quickly, he recognized Vain
wright, who was standing quietly by,
smile full of meaning in his blue eyes.
as Terrier, quite disconnected now, fred
again and missed for the second time.
At this moment a side door in the
tired. and holding in either hand a long
dueling pistol of American manufacture.
came Scott, who, being introduced to
the audience, bowed, whilst NJ. Maui
PEASANT said:
M. Scott has kindly consented to
give US an exhibition with the pistol"
Mr.. Scott bowed again, and SO much
" as luc dttChNlOn VI VIC du0lcuCC
eted upon him that no one noticed Vain
wright, standing quietly against the
wall. feeling cautiously with his hands
behind him for small. round, white OBJ
ject-
Mr.. Scott bowed once more. profound
ly, to his distinguished audience. Es-
pecially did he extend his salutation to
that portion of the room where, pale as
death. now sat the thoroughly alarmed
NJ. Ferrier. and who in the redoubt-
able American marksman had recog-
nized the man he had insuIted at the
Cafe Ricci
~ will now give you an imitation"
said Scott, in an off-hand manner, ''of a
Western cowboy practicing on the head
of tenpenny nail at fifty PAGES. will
fire first at the large bulls eye, 50 IS to
get my hand in"
He lifted the two long duelling pis-
tolls and fired from them alternately,
pulling the triggers like lightning.
Above the noise of the explosions could
be heard the tlnkling of the bell as each
bullet struck fair and square in the