Transcriber’s Note

This transcription is based on images digitized by Google from a copy held by Shields Special Collections of the University of California, Davis Library. The images are available through the HathiTrust Digital Library at:

catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/ 007431700

In general, I have retained variant spellings (e.g., “tarletan”, “trowsers”, “does’nt”, “her’s”, and “your’s”) and the idiosyncrasies of the original punctuation. However, for the sake of consistency and to correct obvious errors, the following changes were made:

• The spacing of the abbreviations for the entrances and exits has been made consistent.
• p. 2: MRS. SOMERTON,—Green tarletan ball dress—Changed comma to a period for consistency.
• p. 4: RAT. By all means, David. (aside) he does’nt know me.—Capitalized “he”.
• p. 9: for the amount at once (taking a piece—Inserted a period after “once”.
• p. 9: I had taken that little precaution against interruption (resumes his writing)—Inserted a period after “interruption”.
• p. 11: makes a profound bow, and exits, L. U. E)—Inserted a period after “E”.
• p. 12: I’ll run for him this monent,—Changed “monent” to “moment”.
• p. 12: no, my friend (running to door, L. C.) Holloa,—Inserted a period after “friend”.
• p. 12: to ring the bell, and the bell rope’s cut—Changed the comma to a closing parenthesis.
• p. 12: raise an alarm at all events (pulling both triggers—Inserted a period after “events”.
• p. 12: Oh, if I had only known that (about to get out at the window)—Inserted a period after “that”.
• p. 14: POS. (pulling him back) you can’t till your successor is appointed.—Capitalized “you”.
• p. 14: That’s right—you must know then (seats himself)—Inserted a period after “then”.
• p. 15: My cousin, Captain Ratcliffe (introducing them.—Inserted a period after “Ratcliffe”.
• p. 15: RAT. True! smiling.—“smiling” is a stage direction, so this line has been changed to: “RAT. True! (smiling)”
• p. 16: RAT. (smiling again) True,—Comma changed to a period.
• p. 16: POS. Yes, yes, (aside to him) That’ll do—she can’t bear it.—Changed comma after second “yes” to a period.
• p. 16: RAT. (to Mrs. S.) Bank notes, I presume?—“Mrs.” changed to small caps in the html version and all caps in the text version for consistency.
• p. 16: this bold and impudent villain. (RATCLIFFE slightly starts) treating the matter as—Changed period after “villain” to a comma.
• p. 17: Lor, Master Percy, is that you? throwing her arms—Inserted a beginning parenthesis before “throwing”.
• p. 17: Lor love’ee, (about to embrace him again.—Changed comma after “love’ee” to a period.
• p. 18: here sit down, (making POS. sit down—Changed comma to a period.
• p. 18: run, fly! PEGGY trots out at door—Inserted a beginning parenthesis before “PEGGY”.
• p. 18: RAT (to POS. and slapping him on the shoulder)—Inserted a period after “RAT”.
• p. 19: POS. I’ll do it at once, (aside) amd considering—Changed “amd” to “and”.
• p. 19: The devil! (aloud) and is name is——Changed first “is” to “his”. 
• p. 20: we must not mince matters. (imitating RATCLIFFE’Smanner.)—Inserted closing quotation mark after “matters.”
• p. 20: more courage than I imagined. I was about to observe—Inserted “(aloud)” after “than I imagined.”