regret to be the bearer of ill-tidings. I was just telling your
sister, and her friends, that the Ramona has been wrecked."

"The Ramona--the steamer mother sailed on--wrecked?" cried Jack.
"How did it happen--where?"

"As to where, I know not, but it happened, I assume, in the recent
hurricane. Indeed, we barely escaped ourselves. I am just in from
the Boldero. We picked up some refugees near St. Kitts. I did not
hear their story in detail, but they said the Ramona had foundered
with all on board!"

"Oh!" gasped Belle, as she sank against Cora. The latter, meanwhile,
had somewhat recovered from the shock. Again she was the
quick-thinking, emergency-acting Cora Kimball.

"We must find out exactly what happened," she said. "Belle, pull
yourself together. Don't you dare faint--everyone is looking at
you!"

Perhaps this information, as much as the bottle of ammonia smelling
salts, which Cora thrust beneath the nose of her chum, brought Belle
to a realization of what part she must play.

"I--I'm all right now," she faltered. "But, oh! It is so awful--terrible.
Oh--dear!"

"Hope for the best," said Walter kindly, leading her to the ladies'
parlor, which was screened, by a grill, from the public foyer.
"Often, now a days, in shipwreck, nearly all are saved, even if the