The national forum., 1910-07-09


we're returning to his residence, and
he was on the point Of relating to me
the peculiar circumstances connected
with the case OF one Of his patients,
whom we had met, and who had
greeted us with an air Of great con-
descension.
At that moment the sharp report
of pistol rang out in the still morn
ing air.
1 grasped the arm of my host and
exclaimed:
what is that? Surely some one
Of your patients is doing mischief"
DR.. Noirot smiled.
"No," said he, "be composed; it is
merely another singular case, which l
will show you"
Diverglng to the left, he drew me
toward small pavilion hidden behind
q cluster Of trees. He opened door,
and after proceeding along a narrow
vestibule, we reached sort Of long
court, surrounded by high brick walls
A man was there, tall Of stature, and
clothed in the costume of hunter,
resembling, in certain details, the
habit of the Mexican cattle herder
He was reclining against one of the
walls of the pavilion, and at the mo-
ment of our arrival raised slowly the
right hand, In which was firmly
grasped a pistol. Our arrival dis
~, t,, 1S,f II fSN11l roI hn RI
rection of the weapon, and I saw at
about fifteen PAGES white head with
a black hole in the centre of the
forehead. 1t was, as far as was able
to Judge at that distance, a mask of
plaster Of paris, skillIully executed,
and in which seemed to be able to
distinguish a resemblance to Diana
the huntress.
The shot was discharged. The head
remained intact.
"See," said the doctor, att is most
remarkable; he never misses a shot.
as it possible?" said I, half in
credulously.
"Yes, all the balls are lodged in the
same place---in that dark spot not
larger than an inch and half in di-
ameter. See!7
The man had drawn another pistol
from his belt. He fired; The head
moved IS6t. The weaponNwas hand
some revolver, charged with several
shots. The marksman discharged
successfully five other shots, none of
which damaged the figure.
The doctor placed his hand upon
the shoulder of the marksman, who,
turning toward him, revealed face
adorned by heavy black beard, and
upon which reposed an air OF deter
mination and melancholy,
"Stop a moment said the doctor
The man bowed assentingly, and
the doctor then conducted me to the
end of the court and behind the mask,
and showed me kind of blackened
iron plate which protected the wall
from being damaged by the bullets.
In the centre of the plate observed
round spot which glistened brightly
from the effects Of the lead which had
been battered in striking.
you see," said the doctor, in
showing me the exact correspondence
of the brilliant spot and the hole
which passed through the plaster
head, "all balls have entered here.
You will find this to be true in every
instance"
"It is indeed marvellous" replied
I. but what of his strange history?"
"Let US go. will relate It to you
without,
We traversed again the court and
the vestibule, and this is the strange
recital of Or. Noirot, interrupted at
regular intervals by the detonatioIs
bf the mad marksmans revolver:
That poor unfortunate is called
Guido Ventura. Whether Italian,
, Spanish or American is not certainly
known. American | should say, for
It is from the United States these
masters of the rife and revolver
come. It was from there he came to
France. You could have seen him
last season at the Alcazar d d'Automne,
where he had given four or five eyhi-
hitions of dexterity, and would have
performed elsewhere had not impera-
tive reasons terminated abruptly his
representations.
: Guido Ventura, when he arrived at
3 Paris, was accompanied by a young
, lady, known professionally as Made
+ moiselle Arabelle. She was mag
T. niflcent creature, with the form Of a
statue and the head of goddess She
y lacked not adorers, and in less than a
week it became quite the fashion to
9 seethe superb Arabelle assist Ventura
in bis wonderful performances.
= She performed splcndidly, the arms
: crossed, the face immovable, while al
d fifteen PAGES Ventura leveIed his pis.
@ tol, the bullets from which invariably
=. pierced card held between the
fingers, or broke the stem of com,
mon clay pipe, held between hel
y, snowy teeth, and within a few inches
of her lips. The crowning feat was
G the breaking OF small glass bal
e placed upon her head
A single tremor of the hand o.
Ventura, and-but the hand of Ven
tura never trembled.
Evidently Ventura loved this splen
did woman with a love approaching
idolatry. 1t suficed to prove this tt
see once the fierce fires which flashed
in his eyes when in the green room
waiting their turns, some gallant be
E came too friendly or attentive to tn,
' lovely Arabelle. Jealous2 OF course
and the poor fellow suffered afro