Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-29
A DEAD SHOT.

lOOklnR man Jnan ne Is now, Jnere were
seated at one of the little round marble
tables before the Cafe Ricci, in the Boule-
ward des Italiens, in Paris, two young
Frenchmen, the cheek of one of whom bore
a red mark as if some one had brought his
hand sharply against it. In an inner room
of the cafe the person who had done this
was engaged in wiping away from his
shirt front the stains of some red wine
which in his fury the recipient of the slap
had hurled across the table. The man with
the red cheek was the young Adolphe Fer
rier, the son of the celebrated artist of that
name. The man with the soiled shirt front
was Martin G.. Scott, of Mobile, Ala.
There had been an exchange of cards, and
Scott and his friend, George f.. Vain
wright, twelve hours later suddenly found
themselves with a large sized, healthy
French quarrel on their hands to be set
tied, as most of those matters are in France,
under the code.
When it came to choice of weapons
Scott had wisely chosen pistols, for, while
he was a VIGOROUSLY bad shot, he was
totally ignorant of the use Of the napier.
The affair was to come off at Auvergne,
a little village distant about nine miles
from Paris, in forty-eight hours time.
The parties were to go out on the early
train.
doubt if Scott was so much cut about
the affair as Wainwright, even though he
fully expected to be killed. Wainwright
kept on blaming himself for having let his
friend get into such "A scrape. 1t was to be
no child's play They were to fire at twelve
PAGES, and to continue firing until one of
the parties was disabled,
MI - IL.
affair the more he realized what an awk.
ward job he had upon his hands.
He lay awake all night at his hotel, re-
volving some plan by which they could get
out of the scrape He had frequently seen
Terrier practicing ut fashionable pistol
gallery in the Rue du Capacines He knew
that he spent the best part Of every evening
there in ringing the bell on the target, to
accomplish which feat, as every one knows,
it is necessary to hit the bulbs eye. Vain
wright arose early with plan fully thought
out.
Come" he said to Scott, 1--WE haven't too
much time before US. We must 20 down
to Maupassants gallery and get some
practice You stay here and have some
breakfast. | don't care to eat 50 early.
I'll run down there and see if we can't get
the gallery all to ourselves for a couple Of
hours"
THAT will be pretty costly, won't itS"
hazarded Scott.
"Not more than a decent coffin and all
the other funeral iixings," replied Vain
wright with some little sarcasm, "Gf pos
sible | want to throw those expenses on
the other fellow"
Wainwright jumped into a cab and
dashed off to the Gallery Maupassant,
where for upward of half an hour he re-
manned closeted with its proprietor.
"It's agreed, then" said Wainwright at
the conclusion Of the interview. Now,
then, NJ. Maupassant, there are go francs
down. The remainder Of the 800 you get
if the 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 pleasure of
your company tomorrow afternoon at
O'Clock to witness the phenomenal shoot
ing of an American gentleman, who has
kindly consented to give an exhibition OF
his skill at that hour"
While NJ. Maupassant was thus engaged
Wainwright put in half an hour making
sundry purchases, returning with them
to the gallery, where the next hour was
proitabiy 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, il
one-half of them were accepted, the ques
ton was, would there be standing room in
the gallery
Eve must certainly go down and see this
American shoot" said NJ. Terriers second
"You may find some of his tricks useful t.
you at Asyergne tomorrow
NJ Ferrier, whose courage was not of the
5-o'clock- in the-morning kind shivered
slightly, though the weather was decidedly
warm.
81 wish that fellow had chosen rapiers,
he muttered. "These Americans are sucf
devils with the pistol"
1t was O'Clock in the afternoon.
NJ. Maupassant's gallery was crowded
NJ, Terrier had an excellent seat He sal
talking with his friend and second. HI
had been drinking somewhat 10 keep hii
courage up, and his voice could he heart
all over the room. With Frenchmani
love of gossip, his second had talked freely
of the meeting Of the morrow,
As the American had not yt come {
dozen voices called on Ferrier to step dow
and get some practice and amuse the com
pany at the same time.
Terrier. who was really good shot, wa
not a litSe proud Of it, and with such al
audience he was not slow to avail himsei
of the opportunity thus afforded Of display
ing his skill
Throwing Off his coat he stepped dow
on to the floor of the gallery, and picking
up a pistol marked two bulls eyes in rapit
succession.
His third bullet went Just above, howeve
an inch at least to the right.
"Your pistol is a little heavy on the trig
ger, monsieur" said voice behind him.
Turning quickly, he recognized Vain
wright, who was standing quietly by,
smile full Of meaning In his blue eyes, a
Terrier, quite disconnected now, fired agaij
and missed for the second time.
At this moment side door in the CALLER
opened, and scrupulously attired and hold
ing In either hand long dueling pistol o
American manufacture came Scott, who
being introduced to the audience, bowed
while NJ. Maupassant said:
Monsieur Scott has kindly consented &
give us an exhibition with the pistol"
Mr.. Scott bowed again, and so much wa
the attention of the audience riveted upo
him that no one noticed Wainwright stand
ing quietly against the wall, feeling cat
tiously with his hands behind him for
small, round, white object
Mr.. Scott bowed once more profoundl
to his distinguished audience. Especial
did he extend his salutation to that po
,so,, Of tho room where Dale as death no