Mrs. Langley now was listening more attentively to the little girl. Neither of them noticed that the stranger in gray had moved closer. He too could hear their conversation. “You say Mr. Van Der Lann turned down a very large bulb order?” the garden club president asked. “Well, that is odd. I wonder why?” “He didn’t seem to like Mrs. Gabriel.” “Mrs. Gabriel--” repeated the society woman, mulling over the name. “I’m quite sure I never have heard of her, or her garden. Why would she order tulips at this time of year? Perhaps it was for fall delivery. No doubt that was it, Vevi. Mr. Van Der Lann turned down the business, because this isn’t a good time to plant bulbs. Any that were bought now would have to be held until Fall.” Mrs. Langley was called away just then and so said no more about Mrs. Gabriel. However, the man in gray moved over to where Vevi stood. “Hello, little girl,” he greeted her. And in a friendly voice, he asked: “Which lady is Mrs. Gabriel? Is she the one in the darkblue dress?” “Oh, no, that is Mrs. Howard,” Vevi answered. “Mrs. Gabriel is over by the door, talking to Peter Van Der Lann.” “The owner of Windmill Farm?” Vevi merely nodded and did not answer. She had begun to wonder why the man asked so many curious questions. “Say, you must be a detective,” she declared, after studying him a moment. The man only smiled. He started to ask Vevi another question, but before he could do so, Mrs. Langley clapped her hands to attract everyone’s attention. The room became very quiet. “The judges are ready to award the prize ribbons,” announced the garden club president. “Clear the aisles, please. In a moment now, we will know which tulip is considered the best in the show.” _Chapter 12_ A FLOWER SHOW An expectant hush fell upon the crowd as Mrs. Langley made her announcement. Everyone watched the three judges, wondering which tulip they would choose for the first prize award. “Oh, they’re stopping beside the candy stripe tulip!” Vevi whispered nervously to Connie. “That is the flower they are going to choose.” Connie thought so too and so did Hanny who stood beside the two Brownies. Her tense face puckered up and she looked as if she were about to burst into tears. “If Uncle Peter’s tulip doesn’t win, I’ll have to go back to the orphanage in Holland,” she whispered. “I know it!” The judges were now pinning a ribbon on the table where the candy stripe tulip was displayed. “The Mattox flower wins,” Hanny said with a little moan. “Oh, I was afraid of it. The flower is very beautiful.” “But not half as nice as the Golden Beauty,” Vevi declared loyally. “I don’t see how the judges could make such a mistake.” “They haven’t!” cried Connie. “Just look at the color of the ribbon, you dopes!” Hanny and Vevi laughed aloud, so great was their relief. True, the judges had pinned a ribbon on the Mattox’ table. But it was not a blue ribbon. Instead, it was red and bore printing which said “Second Prize.”