An East-Melbourne household is disturbed by a newly arrived English orphan niece's fears of a ghost who nightly moves her dressing-case to her aunt's bedroom. Detective Sinclair investigates - visits the steamer at Williamstown that she came out on - and uncovers (with the help of the household's male cook) a murder at sea, imposture by a travelling companion as the niece, and a morphine addicted doctor as a wealthy Englishman in Melbourne. He suicides with an overdose; she is committed to an saylum. (PB)