Produced by Ewa Jaros, Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net * * * * * Transcriber's Note: The original spelling and punctuation were retained, except for a few issues that were believed to be typographical mistakes. The full list of corrections can be found at the end of this document. * * * * * THE LIMIT =THE LIMIT= BY ADA LEVERSON LONDON CHAPMAN & HALL Originally published 1911 by Grant Richards Ltd. Reissued 1950 by arrangement with the Richards Press Ltd. Printed by Brueder Rosenbaum, Vienna, Austria Cat. No. 5085/4 TO ROBERT ROSS CONTENTS Chapter Page I VALENTIA 11 II HARRY 24 III VAN BUREN 32 IV THE ELDER MRS. WYBURN 37 V ROMER 43 VI HARRY'S ENTERTAINMENT 47 VII DAPHNE 62 VIII IN FANCY DRESS 70 IX A CELEBRITY AT HOME 79 X MISCHIEF 87 XI THE FRIENDS 105 XII A HOME CHAT 115 XIII VALENTIA'S VISIT 123 XIV A SUGGESTION 131 XV MISS WALMER 137 XVI MRS. FOSTER 144 XVII ENGAGED 156 XVIII AT THE CARLTON 163 XIX AT MISS WESTBURY'S 170 XX A PROPOSAL 177 XXI HEREFORD VAUGHAN 183 XXII GILLIE INTERFERES 189 XXIII THE BALD-FACED STAG 196 XXIV THE GREEN GATE 203 XXV A SUNDAY AFTERNOON 211 XXVI IN THE ROSE GARDEN 223 XXVII SEEING THE SUN RISE 230 XXVIII "REPLY PAID" 235 XXIX GLADYS 241 XXX "THE ANGLES" 248 XXXI AT EDGWARE 256 XXXII TENSION 263 XXXIII GOOD-BYE 268 XXXIV ROMER OVERHEARS 274 XXXV THE LIMIT 286 XXXVI RECONCILIATION 291 CHAPTER I VALENTIA "Romer, are you listening?" "Valentia, do I ever do anything else?" "I've almost decided and absolutely made up my mind that it will look ever so much better if you don't go with me to Harry's dinner after all." "Really?" "Yes. We two--you _and_ I--always seem to make such an enormous family party! Of course, I know we have to go about in these huge batches sometimes--to your mother, and that sort of thing, but in this case it will look better not." Valentia made this rather ungracious suggestion, looking so pretty, so serious, and yet with such a conciliating smile that it would have been almost impossible for even the most touchy person to have been offended. The tall, significant-looking husband stopped in his stroll across the room.