A VISION OF SIN Maud Enderby's life at home became ever more solitary.

Such daily intercourse as had been established between her mother and herself grew less and less fruitful of real intimacy, till at length it was felt by both to be mere form.

Maud strove against this, but there was no corresponding effort on the other side; Mrs.Enderby showed no dislike for her daughter, yet unmistakably shunned her.

If she chanced to enter the sitting-room whilst Maud was there, she would, if possible, retreat unobserved; or else she would feign to have come in quest of something, and at once go away with it.

Maud could not fail to observe this, and its recurrence struck a chill to her heart.