She looked at him with a very pitiful smile and shook her head.

"No! I can't do that! Not just yet! You see, it's all so
unexpected--things have changed altogether in a moment. I can't
feel quite the same--my heart seems so sore and cold."

He leaned back in his chair again.

"Ah, well, it is as I thought!" he said, irritably. "You're more
concerned about yourself than about me. A few minutes ago you only
cared to know what the doctors thought of my illness, but now it's
nothing to you that I shall be dead in a year. Your mind is set on
your own trouble, or what you choose to consider a trouble."

She heard him like one in a dream. It seemed very strange to her
that he should have dealt her a blow and yet reproach her for
feeling the force of it.

"I am sorry!" she said, patiently. "But this is the first time I
have known real trouble--you forget that!--and you must forgive me
if I am stupid about it. And if the doctors really believe you are
to die in a year I wish I could take your place, Dad!--I would
rather be dead than live shamed. And there's nothing left for me
now,--not even a name--"

Here she paused and seemed to reflect.

"Why am I called Innocent?"

"Why? Because that's the name that was written on every slip of