Obsolete and inconsistent spellings (e.g. negociations, laughing stock/laughing-stock, needlework/needle-work, etc.) have been preserved. Alterations to the text: Add ToC. Punctuation: fix some quotation mark pairings/nestings. [Chapter I] Change “he and the Sig-nor will be _closetted_ for hours together” to _closeted_. [Chapter III] “Is she very stupid. very clumsy, very impertinent?” change period to a comma. (“It ain’t that, Sir,” she said, shaking her head, “In course I was) change the last comma to a period. [Chapter IV] “she must shake like an aspen leaf I found ’er in the kitchen” add period after _leaf_. [Chapter V] Change “you were to see Doctor Steinberg again _tonight_?” to _to-night_. [Chapter VI] “that it does not all proceed from giving her _medecine_!” to _medicine_. “they found themselves once more _closetted_ with Hannah Stubbs” to _closeted_. [Chapter VII] (don’t take ’eed to your ways,” retorted his irate adversary, “Me and) change the last comma to a period. “doings of Satan--and no more will. this young man ’ere!” delete the period. [Chapter VIII] “If he had _announccd_ that he intended to murder Hannah Stubbs” to _announced_. [Chapter IX] “continue to call her Hannah _has_ usual” to _as_. [Chapter XII] “when pressed, as late as ten o’clock at night, Now! go on with” change the second comma to a period. “and ’ave you left them for good. and where are you living now?” change the period to a comma. [Chapter XIII] “Karl _van_ Steinberg alone remaining behind for a few minutes” to _von_. “if her condition were normal. or if they could trace any” change the period to a comma. [Chapter XIV] (but English is so hard,” she added, pathetically,) change the third comma to a period. [Chapter XV] “against her; the would accept any explanation she chose to child give--she was only...” change _the_ to _she_ and delete _child_. (“O! don’t speak of such a thing pray! I shouldn’t) add comma after _thing_. [Chapter XVI] “but all this talk about Spiritualism is only got up, for want of a better excitement.” delete the comma. [Chapter XVII] “I lost her in so cruelly sudden a manner Only four days ill” add period after _manner_. [End of text]