The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-09

as she coolly calls il, IS il beautiful little
clearing, surrounded by tall oaks and the
graceful mountain lilac, which here grows
10 prodigiOus height. The grim associa-
tlons OF the place now invest it with hor-
rnr to all the other members of the family
except Alice, who seems to view it merely
as the scene OF a very extraordinary and
interesting experience. At the request of
the writer the girl, without the least hest
tatlon, calmly laid down Oh the very SPOT
and In the very position in which she fell
when the murderous shot struck her, and
was photographed lying there.
II may have been daZed by the shot, but
l wasn't aware of it." Alice went en-.
My brain certainly worked as we'll as it
ever did in my life. 1 was possessed by
just one thought, and that was how to get
home.
II was planning what to do while l
watched him from under my eyelids. |
knew ii wouldn't do to try to go back past
the vineyard. for I'd be in range of him
and he might see me and finish his work
with another shot. So l made up my
mind to go back by way of the camp. and
the moment he was out of sight L got up
and started back that way"
What this girl undertook to do when she
made this resolve needs explanation. The
path by the vineyard was a plain, open
roadway. making a direct and short cut TO
the house. To &C back by way of the
house into the shadow Of dense woods
and brush over the ground she had lately
travelled with the man who had just shot
her. and where every tree and bush held
associations with him. 1t was quite pos
sible that he might see her rise and pursue
her. and if he had followed her into that
lonely place of what avail would any out
cry have beenP Measure the courage
which saw what was wisest and best and
chose this awful chance to the open road.
which might in few moments have
brought her within call Of the rest.
Meantime Judge, when he hoard the
shot and saw his sister fall, and heard her
death groaD. followed by the click of the
Indians gun as 1t was reloaded, had him.
sell shot. as if fred from catapult. up
the steep hillside leading toward the house.
These who in deliberate folly have under
taken to make their way through the
chaparral that clothes the foothills of the
Coast Range will appreciate the fact that
the boy actually forced his way, in an al
most perpendicular direction, through
hundred feet or more OF this dense inter
laced growth, in the space OF few min
utes. The girl only knew that Judge had
somehow disappeared.
Coming slowly up the hill saw Judges
hat bObbng about in the brush" explains
Alice. when ne sd W me he was the worst
scared boy that ever lived. You see he
thought | was dead, and 1t was my ghost
coming to upbraid him for running away.
When he realized | was really alive, he
asked me- if | was hurt.
ono said, for l didn't know l was,
seriously. But WHO'D have thought that
villain would have shot me !!
GAS we walked along, we talked over
how we would keep from frightening
mother. / meant TO wash off the blood at
the creek near the house, and then 20 up
quietly and explain. But Mile come out,
and l tried to send her back, and she
wouldn't 60. Mother saw her, white as
ghost, and she knew something had hap
pened. Then father came In sight. L
didn't see Adelaide. and that frightened
me.
Where's AdelaideP' asked father.
" She started up past the vineyard after
YOU
"'Get her Anton will shoot herr
What makes you think so?
He shot me-
mol Where?
Right here, IN my neck
Father started off, and in a few mo-
ments he came back. supporting Adelaide.
! Then we had the worst scare, We we're
hurt at all. She had tainted from fright
about me when she heard the shot.
Il felt all right until abOut an hour after
ward.
81 was sitting by the fireplace. A queer
sort of feeling came over me. l told Mil
my feet. Mile said, why. what's the
matter p i don't know; my feet are cold,
and feel so queer, l said"
She might well feel queer" The bull
let, which she had all the time imagined
was in the top of her head, had passed
through the back Of her neck, carrying
away the top of The vertebre. Her clothing
was saturated with blood, from the neck
of her dress to the hem, and there was a
CORY trail along the path by which she
| had reached the house. Yet after her
father and brother had gone for a physi-
! clan, she was the one to suggest having
warm water ready and seft old cloth for
bandages. 1t was very dangerous
wound. There was time when her re-
covery was in doubt. She lay in her bed
for days, ana held on To il, as she says, to
help endure the pain. She came back to
life. but she may never again be in perfect
health, unless her dear old mountains do
for her what mans skill has been power
less to accomplish.
| II have 'nervouses' sometimes" she ex