Mrs. Gabriel ignored the pointed question, so the little girl asked it again.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the woman finally replied. “If you found any bulbs along the road, they must have belonged to someone else.”
The police officers had been listening to the talk. Now one of the men had a question of his own.
“Lady,” he said, “are you sure it was tulip bulbs you were after?”
“Sorry,” said the policeman, “but I’m afraid we’ll have to take you to the station for a complete search.”
“The idea!” Mrs. Gabriel snapped. “You may look in my purse now if you like. You’ll find nothing.”
She offered her pocketbook, which the policeman thoroughly examined. Inside were toilet articles, a billfold containing nearly two hundred dollars, a handkerchief and a set of car keys.
“I saw her put something in her outside coat pocket while she was digging,” Connie reported.
One of the officers reached into Mrs. Gabriel’s pocket. He brought out nothing but an old theater program.