"I thought not. It is very sad. The Ningpo is lost."
Lucy was perplexed. She knew the name of her uncle's vessel; but for a moment she did not associate the thing. In a moment, however, something of the horror of the fact reached her. She did not cry, for her affections had no great part in anyone on board of the vessel, but she turned very pale. And not a thought of the possible interest she might have in the matter crossed her mind. She had never associated good to herself with her uncle or any of his family.
"How dreadful!" she murmured. "My poor cousins! What they must all have gone through! Are they come home?"
"They are gone home," said Mr. Sargent, significantly. "There can be but little doubt of that, I fear."
"You don't mean they're drowned?" she said, turning her white face on him, and opening her eyes wide.
"It is not absolutely certain; but there can be little doubt about it."
He did not show her the paragraph in the Times, though the paper was in his pocket: the particulars were too dreadful.
"Are there any other relations but your grandmother and yourself?" he asked, for Lucy remained silent.
"I don't know of any," she answered.
"Then you must come in for the property."