Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-17

Alpluc, We thought he might nave gone
right on to Calhoun's with the medicine,
leaving his boat at another landing oppo-
site the trail to Calhoun's ranch.
But the second day brought stranger
to our door with McAlpine's farewell mes
sage and the sad particulars of his death.
After leaving us, for some time he rowed
briskly, but the still heat soon made this
an arduous labor. He soon ceased to
hurry, rejecting that there was no need
for such disagreeable exertion; he had
brought lunch, and so was independent
of meal-time. Any time before nine o'clock
would do to reach the settlement. and he
could pull hard when the sun was low.
So, sometimes pulling lazily, sometimes
drifting with the current he went on for
about eleven miles. 1t was nearly FIVE
o'clock.
Pulling for the shore he selected spot
for campfire whereby to boil his coffee
and eat the lunch he had brought with him.
After breaking a few sticks for his fire
he took his ak back to his boat and
dropped it over the bow. Then, pulling his
boat well up on the sand, he went back to
his coffee, eating his lunch leisurely, for
he was SO near the settlement he felt sure
he could make the distance easily in the
cool of the evening. He drew out his
pipe and lay back on the grass to smoke.
The long northern twilight was advanc-
ing, though still long before dark, when
McAlpine at last rose to 60 to his boat
and resume his journey.
Picking up his coffee-pot, he stood
crushing the few remaining Goals, lest
they might do mischief, when the report
| of gun rang out on the evening air and
| bullet whizzed past, so unpleasantly close
as to cut hole through the loose folds of
his shirt, under the arm. Turning, he
saw an Indian, partially hidden by low
clump of bushes. McAlpine, realizing at
once that it was one of RiePs disciples. too
ignorant to understand that the uprising
had been quelled, even though his thirst for
blood was notquite satisfied, ran for his boat.
Hastily the Indian began to reload his
old-fashioned single-barrelled gun, adj
vancing as he did so, little by little, to-
wards McAlpine's boat, as though fearful
that his prey might escape before he could
prepare to shoot again.
With all his might McAlpine strives to
push the boat from off the wet sand. Once
on the river, with his rife, he is safe.
Could he spring into the boat and shoot
from the river, he would be out of range
before the savage could reload his clumsy
weapon. This was the one hasty idea
which entered his usually quiet brain :
Why did he not shoot without trying to
escape? We never knew. Perhaps be-
cause the rifle was in its long flannel case,
under the thwarts, and seemed almost in
accessible, in the hurry and confusion.
| With tense nerves and straining muscles
McAlpine exerts all his strength to move
the boat.
1t will not stir
With eyes cleaning exultantly, the say.
age stood ramming paper onto the powder
in his gun.
Thud thudl 1t seems to be pound.
ing into the very brain of the poor vic
tim. Desperately, for his very life's sake
McAlpine strains at the boat once more.
Slowly it slips, Slides half its length is
in the water
The savage, thinking his aim not to be
depened upon, ran hastily forward, drop
ping the bullet into the barrel as he ran
One more push-but it is too late; the
savage is almost upon him!
Snatching his AK from the bow of the
boat, McAlpine turns upon his foe With
eyes flashing, teeth tight shut and lips
drawn back, he meets his foe.
Thrusting the gun close to McAlpine's
side, the savage touched the trigger; but
even as he pressed it, McAlpine's ak,
swung swiftly round his head to gather
force, sunk deep into the brain of the In
dian.
Wounded, McAlpine's strength was
spent in the one push required to move
the boat. Clambering over its side, he lay
faint and in partial stupor, and the current
caught and carried the boat on down the
river.
Slowly it drifted on, on past the settle
ment; through the long night it kept on
its way. Delirious at times and burning
with fever, McAlpine longed for the water
he was too weak to reach. He who had
helped so many in sickness and trouble was
dying alone.
Then came the rain. God was good
How the blessed rain cooled and revived
him At daylight he heard voices. They
were, if possible, more welcome than the
rain had been. Two men were coming up
river and great was their CONSERVATION at
| finding a wounded man in the boat.
Kindly they cared for him, taking him to
the house of a settler near by. But, in
spite of their .tenderest care, McAlpine
fingered only to tell his story and to give
directions where to find us. Toward even
ing he sank rapidly, and Ted's prayer as
he went to bed that night-"Pese, bod,
tate dood tare of Alpine to
heaven as the spirit of his beloved friend
set out on its unknown journey.