Knowing how much depended on it I got out my faithful old 45 deg.

six-shooter that I had carried for fifteen years, and taking quick aim, as much to my own surprise as to others', actually hit the centre of the mark! It was an extraordinarily good shot (could not do it again perhaps in twenty trials) but it saved my reputation.

Of course no pressure could have persuaded me to fire again.

That reminds me of another such occasion.
Once when camped alone on the Reservation in Arizona, a party of officers from Camp Apache turned up.

They had a bite to eat with me and the subject of shooting came up.