He cradled his head in his arms and moaned. Cub Sterling, his godchild, almost his own son, and with the exception of the old orderly William, every witness.... And now two members of the staff.
How in heaven’s name could Cub ever clear himself ... now....
He was so deep in his misery that he did not hear the door open and quietly close. It was the voice which roused him.
A small nurse with an elfin face and large gray eyes was standing beside him. She said:
“Please, Dr. MacArthur, may I speak to you, suh?”
He lifted his head and motioned her to a chair. She remained standing, her upright little body with its slim legs and small, finely arched feet, motionless.
Dr. MacArthur recognized that she had something tremendously important to tell him. He smiled.
“What can I do for you, Miss ... er...?”
“Rose Standish, suh,” she supplied.
When the staff re-convened, Hoffbein was irritated. He had gone about his routine and lunched in the doctors’ dining room. While he was there no other member of the staff entered and it had made him out a fool to all the internes. Looked like he wasn’t “in” on the decisions. Prissy and Princeton had had ample time to repent their rash disclosure and were afraid; MacArthur might face them with it before Harrison and Bear Sterling. Dr. Harrison and Bear Sterling looked tired and uncertain. Dr. Barton’s open face had assumed its judgmatical mask. Dr. MacArthur eyed each man carefully.