Mr. Higgins moved restlessly.
“I know we have been slow in calling you in, Mr. Higgins. But this decision was only reached after a series of long and irascible conferences, and frankly I was against it, until the nurse was murdered.
“A hospital, you see ... a great hospital ... lives, breathes, exists, as a fountain of hope. It is trusted by everybody. For more than forty years the Elijah Wilson has lived up to that trust. We have received endowments, and large ones, to add units to our plant for the teaching of medical students. We were started, have been perpetuated, and are famous as a great teaching hospital.
“Now a teaching hospital, Miss Parkins, exists upon the fact that it has more patients than beds. When you have that situation reversed, the hospital is doomed. D’y’see?”
The three people nodded, and Dr. MacArthur continued:
“If any of you three walked out of this room and gave to the press of this country the information I have just given you in the last five minutes, you would automatically ruin the future of every medical man, resident, student and interne here, the hope of renewed health in a very large portion of suffering humanity, the years and painstaking labor of many famous men, now dead, whose lives were given, as bricks are given, to the building of this hospital’s justified fame.
“It has been upon the complete realization of that grave responsibility that our hesitation was based. I admit that we were mistaken, but our situation was so unexpected, so unparalleled, and so terrifying, that we dared not alter one straw for fear of losing our needle in this great haystack. There are at least fifteen people who may have been guilty of this crime. If they suspect...?”
“Have you any suspects, sir?”
“Yes, Mr. Higgins. That was why I finally succumbed to sending for the best detectives that this country has to offer. My nursing and medical staffs are beginning to suspect themselves ... and each other....”
“I see! I see, Doctor.”