THE UNJUST STEWARD OR THE MINISTER’S DEBT BY MRS. OLIPHANT [Illustration: colophon] PHILADELPHIA J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1896 COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A. DEDICATED TO DENNY 1896 CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I.--A SUDDEN ALARM 7 II.--A FRIEND IN NEED 21 III.--AFTER THE FUNERAL 34 IV.--“TAKE NOW THY BILL AND WRITE FIFTY” 47 V.--MARION AND ELSIE 59 VI.--A HOUSEHOLD CONTROVERSY 73 VII.--THE FIRST MARRIAGE IN THE FAMILY 86 VIII.--A NEW FACTOR 99 IX.--MAN AND WIFE 113 X.--BROTHER AND SISTER 126 XI.--THE GROWING-UP OF THE BAIRNS 139 XII.--THE MOWBRAYS 153 XIII.--PLAINTIFF OR PENITENT? 166 XIV.--ANOTHER AGENT 179 XV.--FRANK’S OPERATIONS 191 XVI.--THE UNJUST STEWARD ONCE MORE 205 XVII.--THE POSITION OF ELSIE 219 XVIII.--JOHNNY WEMYSS 233 XIX.--A CATASTROPHE 246 XX.--CONFESSION 260 XXI.--HOW TO SET IT RIGHT 273 XXII.--IN THE STUDY 284 XXIII.--THE LAST 298 THE UNJUST STEWARD; OR, THE MINISTER’S DEBT. CHAPTER I. A SUDDEN ALARM.