“Say, you got that out of a detective story—‘underlying motive’—I know you did.” Betty shook an accusing finger at him.
“Well, what of it? That’s the thing we’ve got to do—and I guess it doesn’t matter how you say it.”
“Enter Doctor Watson!” Bill grinned and winked at Dorothy. “Look out for your laurels, Miss Sherlock Holmes!”
“Oh, come on—this isn’t any jazz number,” she returned with spirit. “What’s your big idea, Terry?”
“Why, hunt for the letter of course. When we find it, we’ll have the—ahem!—underlying motive as well.”
“Maybe. Who’s going to do the hunting?”
“All of us. We’ll each take a room, and—”
Dorothy laughed. “You’re some organizer. Suppose you start in with the library. It won’t take you more than a week to go through all the books in that room!”
“But listen, Dorothy—”
“Don’t be absurd. We’ll have a hunt tomorrow, if you want. But Betty and I have got to get home now—and anyway, I know where that letter is.”