At first the bag of tulip bulbs did not seem very heavy. But as she trudged on over the rolling hills, it seemed to take on added weight. Several times she had to stop and set it down on the pavement a moment to rest her arm. “My I wish someone would offer me a ride,” she thought wearily. Two cars sped past. The drivers did not appear to notice the tired little girl. Presently, another automobile rolled over a hill, coming from the direction of the Mattox Farm. Vevi glanced hopefully over her shoulder. Noticing that the driver of the car was Mrs. Gabriel she was certain she would not be offered a ride. She was surprised, therefore, when the big powerfully-built automobile coasted to a standstill beside her. “Hello, little girl,” said Mrs. Gabriel in a very friendly voice. “May I give you a lift to Rosedale?” Now Vevi did not like Mrs. Gabriel. She wanted to turn down the ride, but she was dreadfully tired. “Thank you,” she accepted politely, “This bag is very heavy.” “Tulip bulbs?” asked Mrs. Gabriel, opening the car door. “Just some culls that Hanny gave me.” As Vevi slid into the car, she noticed that canvas bags, very similar to the one she carried, were piled on the floor. “I see you bought some tulip bulbs yourself,” she remarked. “Or were they given to you?” “I bought them,” Mrs. Gabriel answered shortly. “They are special stock. The shipment I ordered direct from Holland came today.” “Are they nicer bulbs than Mr. Van Der Lann’s Golden Beauty?” “Mr. Van Der Lann!” replied Mrs. Gabriel. “His tulips are greatly over-rated. Even if he did win a blue ribbon, I prefer to do business with Mr. and Mrs. Mattox.” Now Vevi thought that Mrs. Gabriel could not possibly have bought bulbs that would produce flowers nicer than the Golden Beauty. However, she was too polite to say so. She dropped her bag of culls down on the floor among the other sacks. Then, curious to see if the Mattox bulbs were larger than the culls Hanny had given her, she started to open one of Mrs. Gabriel’s bags. “Don’t do that,” the woman reprimanded her sharply. “I’m sorry,” Vevi apologized, drawing back her hand. “I can’t have tulip bulbs rolling around loose on the car floor,” Mrs. Gabriel added. Vevi was careful not to touch the bags after that. Nevertheless, she thought that Mrs. Gabriel was a very disagreeable woman. For the first few minutes of the ride, the woman scarcely spoke. Then, in a much more friendly manner, she began to question Vevi about where she had been after leaving the flower show. “Only to Hanny’s place,” the little girl replied. “I saw a car at the gate when I drove by earlier this afternoon,” Mrs. Gabriel remarked. “It was an automobile I never had noticed there before.” “It must have belonged to the stranger,” answered Vevi carelessly. “Stranger?” “The same man who was at Mrs. Langley’s flower show. He’s here checking up on folks.” “Checking up on whom?”