Who shall tell the horror of the unfortunate young Aid-de-Camp, at recognizing in the supposed enemy his long mourned and much loved Gerald—­motion, sense, life, seemed for the instant annihilated by the astounding consciousness of the fratricidal act:  the musket fell from his hands, and he who had never known sorrow before, save through those most closely linked to his warm affections, was now overwhelmed, crushed by the mountain of despair that fell upon his heart.  It was some moments before he could so far recover from the stupor into which that dear and well remembered voice had plunged him, as to perceive the possibility of the wound not being mortal.  The thought acted like electricity upon each stupified sense, and palsied limb; and eager with the renewed hope, he bounded forward to the spot where lay the unfortunate Gerald, writhing in his agony.  He had fallen on his face, but as Henry approached him, he raised himself with one hand, and with the other beckoned to his brother to draw near.

“Great God, what have I done!” exclaimed the unhappy Henry, throwing himself in a paroxysm of despair upon the body of his bleeding brother.  “Gerald, my own beloved Gerald, is it thus we meet again.  Oh! if you would not kill me, tell me that your wound is not mortal.  Assure me that I am not a fratricide.  Oh, Gerald, Gerald! my brother, tell me that you are not dying.”

A faint smile passed over the pale haggard features of Gerald:  he grasped the hand of his brother and pressed it fervently, saying—­

“Henry, the hand of fate is visible in all this, therefore condemn not yourself for that which was inevitable.  I knew of the attempt of the Americans to possess themselves of the heights, and I crossed over with them under favor of this disguise, determined to find death, combatting at the side of our gallant General.  Detaching myself from the ranks, I but waited the advance of the British column to remove from my concealment—­you know the rest.  But oh, Henry! if you could divine what a relief it is to me to part with existence, you would not wish the act undone.  This was all I asked:  to see you once more—­to embrace you—­and to die.  Life offered me no hope but this.”

Gerald expressed himself with the effort of one laboring under strong bodily pain; and as he spoke he again sank exhausted upon the ground.

“This packet,” he continued, taking one from the breast of the hunting frock he wore, and handing it to his brother, who, silent and full of agony, had again raised his head from the ground and supported it on his shoulder; “this packet, Henry, written at various times during the last fortnight, will explain all that has passed since we last parted, in the Miami.  When I am no more, read it; and while you mourn over his dishonor, pity the weakness and the sufferings of the unhappy Gerald.”

Henry was nearly frantic, the hot tears fell from his burning eyes upon the pale emaciated cheek of his brother—­and he groaned in agony.