Produced by Hilary Caws-Elwitt, in honor of Peter Caws BERRY AND CO. BY THE SAME AUTHOR _Published by Ward, Lock & Co.:--_ BERRY AND CO. JONAH AND CO. MAIDEN STAKES. THE STOLEN MARCH. ANTHONY LYVEDEN. VALERIE FRENCH. AND FIVE WERE FOOLISH. AS OTHER MEN ARE. THE BROTHER OF DAPHNE. THE COURTS OF IDLENESS. _Published by Hodder & Stoughton:--_ BLIND CORNER. PERISHABLE GOODS. BLOOD ROYAL. FIRE BELOW. ADELE AND CO. BERRY AND CO. BY DORNFORD YATES WARD, LOCK & CO., LIMITED LONDON AND MELBOURNE PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY PURNELL AND SONS PAULTON (SOMERSET) AND LONDON _DEAR VALERIE,_ _When a writer admits that he has an affection for something which he has written, it is high time to pray for his soul. Yet I make bold to confess that there are in this book some passages which I hold dear--a seeming vanity, which must be explained._ _Many times you have found me at work upon these chapters. Often you have taken ill-written pages of manuscript from my table and, sitting down in a chair, deciphered them for what they were worth. Once or twice, whilst you read, you have fallen into silvery laughter._ _Do you wonder that I treasure the sentences which drew forth such music?_ _This is my dedication._ _As many as see you are glad of the sight. All who know you are proud of the honour. But the man whose efforts your mirth has commended is the proudest and happiest of the lot._ _Need I say that your name is not Valerie? I think not. You will know whom I mean._ _Most faithfully yours,_ _DORNFORD YATES._ _Pau, November, 1920._ CONTENTS I HOW WILL NOGGIN WAS FOOLED, AND BERRY RODE FORTH AGAINST HIS WILL II HOW DAPHNE WROTE FOR ASSISTANCE, AND MR. HOLLY WAS OUTBID III HOW A MAN MAY FOLLOW HIS OWN HAT, AND BERRY TOOK A LAMP IN HIS HAND IV HOW NOBBY CAME TO SLEEP UPON MY BED, AND BERRY FELL AMONG THIEVES V HOW JILL'S EDUCATION WAS IMPROVED, AND DAPHNE GAVE HER HUSBAND THE SLIP VI HOW NOBBY ATTENDED A WEDDING, AND BERRY SPOKE NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH VII HOW JONAH OBEYED HIS ORDERS, AND DAPHNE AND KATHARINE FESTIVAL BACKED THE SAME HORSE VIII HOW JILL SLEPT UNDISTURBED, AND NOBBY ATTENDED CHURCH PARADE IX HOW ADELE FESTE ARRIVED, AND MR. DUNKELSBAUM SUPPED WITH THE DEVIL X HOW ADELE BROKE HER DREAM, AND VANDY PLEYDELL TOOK EXERCISE XI HOW NOBBY MET BLUE BANDALA, AND ADELE GAVE JONAH A KISS CHAPTER I HOW WILL NOGGIN WAS FOOLED, AND BERRY RODE FORTH AGAINST HIS WILL. "Who's going to church?" said Daphne, consulting her wrist-watch. There was a profound silence. My sister turned to Jill. "Are you coming?" she said. "Berry and I are." "I beg your pardon," said her husband. "Of course you're coming," said Daphne. "Not in these trousers. This is the first time I've worn them, and I'm not going to kneel in them for any one." "Then you'll change," said his wife. "You've plenty of time." Berry groaned. "This is sheer Bolshevism," he said. "Is not my soul my own?"