The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-07
EDening Story
The Girl BOotlegger.
BY FRANK H. WILLIAMS.

ton army trousers which she wore, 1
she looked more like a boy than
girl.
Now she was seated in her. small |
touring car beating it rapidly over a
stone road from Detroit to Indiana.
The space just in front of the rear
seat of the car was piled with six cases
of whisky which had been brought
from Canada the night before. Over
this was a worn carpet.
In the Indiana city to which the girl
was bound. her partner was waiting
for her. He was the actual sales
agent-the man who disposed of the
wet goods at prices running up to SIS
a quart to the leading business men of
the city. Since Agnes had gone into
partnership with him in this bootleg
ging deal they had cleaned up over
$500 and the start of their partner
ship in crime was only three months
past.
But as Agnes drove swiftly and au-
daciously, her pretty face looked
troubled. She wasn't happy at all.
Two things were worrying her deeply
One of these was the fact that it was
against her better nature to be boot
logger, and the other was that her
old-time sweetheart, Tom Moore,
whom she hadn't seen for years, had
turned up in Detroit just before she
had started on this trip to Indiana and
had made violent love to her again.
Agnes had thought that all her
former sentiment for Tom had left
her. She had thought that her affec-
tons We're entirely conferred on John
Greenleaf, her bootIegging partner.
But now she wasn't so sure about it.
Tho Agnes didn't fully realize it, the
conflict which was now going on mi
her breast was really a conflict be-
tween right and wrong. Before going
into partnership with Greenleaf she
mad been as poor as a church mouse,
but had led an irreproachable life.
Now she had more money than she
had ever had before, and her con-
science was hurting her
Toms arrival had brought affairs to
a crisis, tor Tom was Lndeniably good,
undeniably square and honest.
What was to be the outcome?
Would she continue to make money
bootlegging? Or would she give heed
to Toms avowals of love and turn
around and be the sort of woman he
would like her to be?
1t was while Agnes, unhappy and
discontinued, was hurrying along the
Indiana highway, that she became sus-
picious of car some distance behind
her 1t was her habit while running
a cargo of liquor through to keep a
wary eye for suspicious cars and now
she realized that the ear behind Ter
had been following her for some time.
Was it the car of prohibition officer?
than ever no% that her conscience
was awake and active. and, conse-
quently, she put on more speed than
ever, hoping quickly to leave the car
behind.
But the car kept coming right along.
More than that, it kept gaining on her.
Soon it was abreast OF her.
Then Agnes gasped. The driver of
the car was Tom Moorei
Quite astonished at Toms unex-
pected appearance beside her, Agnes
brought her own machine to a quick
stop. Tom did likewise. Agnes got
out of her car and rushed up to Tom.
Why, Toni" she cried. what are
you doing here? 1 thought you were
back in Detroit"
It seemed to Agnes that Tom looked
i've got a job" said Tom briefly.
What doing?" queried Agnes.
Tom hesitated. He looked at her
for brief moment, then looked away.
We'll, you know" said Tom, you
always said 1 didn't get ahead or make
money because 1 was too righteous
and honest"
His handsome young eyes were deep
and inscrutable as he looked at Agnes
upon saying this.
Yes" said Agnes.
We'll" went on Tom, 1--WE about
come to the conclusion that You're
little crooked to get ahead nowadays.
guess Pm no better than any one
else. 1 guess is up to me to quit Ibe-
ing so sanctimonious."
Agnes heard him almost unbeliev-
ingly. But there could be no doubt
about what he was saying. And as the
real meaning of what Tom was saying
sank into Agnes's consciousness, she
felt her heart sinking Somehow it
seemed as tho her last hold on every
thingthat was good and sweet and
wholesome was slipping away from
her.
why Tom" she cried, what do,
you mean?"
It mean this." exclaimed Tom.
With a quick movement of his right
hand he threw back the side curtains
which had screened his rear seat. Then
covered load just in front of the rear
seat.
Agnes could hardly believe her eyes.
Could it be possible that Tom-the
man she had always thought to be the
best man in the world-was actually
But perhaps she was mistaken after
all.
With quick rush to the car Agnes
jerked away the carpet covering.
There beneath the covering reposed
six booze cases!
Agnes staggered back as tho she
| Tom. the man who had held fast tn
ideals and to honesty and to every
thing worth while in the face of AL
temptations. To think of Tom goi 1g
in for this sort of a thing. 1t was bad
enugh for Agnes to be in it, but for
Tom. too She felt hurt, dreadfully
hurt.
'Tom. how could your" she cried.
| How could you?"
1t seemed to Agnes that Tom looked
abashed-- But he gazed at her stead
lily nevertheless.
1T can't be so terribly bad" he
| said, "or-you wouldn't be doing it"
Agnes put her hand up to her face
| at this as tho to ward off blow. She
really felt almost as tho Tom had
struck her. Certainly he had hurt her,
and yet she really deserved it. I'm
doubtedly she vas the cause of Tom
getting into this
They tell me you're in love with
! bootlegger," said Tom. IF that's the