At that voice Darke stretched out both hands, and dropping his sword,
uttered a cry, which attracted the general's attention.
For an instant they stood facing each other--unutterable horror in the
eyes of General Davenant.
"I am--done for," exclaimed Darke, a bloody foam rushing to his lips,
"but--I have told him--that _I_ was the murderer--that _you_ were
innocent. Give me your hand, father!"
General Davenant leaped to the ground, and with a piteous groan
received the dying man in his arms.
"I am a wretch--I know that--but I was a Davenant once"--came in low
murmurs. "Tell Will, he can marry now, for I will be dead--kiss me
once, Charley!"
The weeping boy threw himself upon his knees, and pressed his lips to
those of his brother.
As he did so, the wounded man fell back in his father's arms, and
expired.
XXI.
FIVE FORKS.
On the day after these events, Lee's extreme right at Five Forks, was
furiously attacked, and in spite of heroic resistance, the little force
under Pickett and Fitzhugh Lee was completely routed and dispersed.
Do you regard that term "heroic," as merely rhetorical, reader?
Hear a Northern writer, a wearer of blue, but too honest not to give
brave men their due:--
"Having gained the White Oak road, Warren changed front again to the
right, and advanced westward, so continually to take in flank and rear
whatever hostile force still continued to hold the right of the
Confederate line.
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