The St. Johns herald., 1922-03-16
The Girl Bootlegger
By FRANK H. WILLIAMS
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| e. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
 The girls name was Agnes Cunning ham. She was young, pretty and alert. In the khaki suit, with regulation army trousers which she wore, she looked more like a boy than a girl.
 Now she was seated in her small touring car beating it rapidly over a 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 be- fore. 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 $15 a quart to the leading business men of the city. Since Agnes had gone into partnership with him in this bOotlegging deal they had cleaned up over $S,OO0 and the start of their partnership 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 1t was against her better nature to be boot legger, 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 for mer sentiment for Tom had left her. She had thought that her affections were entirely centered on John Green leaf, her boOtlegging partner. But now she wasn't so sure about 1t.
 Though Agnes didn't fully realize 1t, | the conflict which was now going on in her heart was really a conflict be- | tween right and wrong. Before going into partnership with Greenleaf she had 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, for Tom was undeniably good. undeniably square and honest.
 What was to be the outcome? Would she continue to make money boot logging? Or would she give heed to Toms avowaIs of love and turn around and be the sort of woman he would like her to be?
 It was while Agnes, unhappy and discontented, was hurrying along the Indiana highway, that she became sus- piciOus of a car some distance behind her. It was her habit while running a cargo of liquor through to keep 8 wary eye for suspicious cars and now she realized that the car behind her had been following her for some time Was 1t the car of prohibition officer
 This thought troubled Agnes more than ever, now 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, 1t kept gaining on her
 Soon it was abreast of her.
 Then Agnes gasped. The driver o1 the car was Tom Moore!
 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, TomT' she cried. "what are you doing here? thought you were back in Detroit"
 It seemed to Agnes that Tom looked avasive.
 "Tve got a job," said Tom briefly.
 "What dOing?" Queried Agnes.
 Tom hesitated. He looked at her for a brief moment, then looked away
 "WeIl, you know" said Tom, "you always said I didn't get ahead or make any money because I was too righteous and honest"
 His handsome young eyes were deep and inscrutable as he looked at Agnes upon saying this.
 'Yes," said Agnes.
 Well" went on Tom. i've about come to the conclusion that you're right about it. A fellows got to be a little crooked to get ahead nowadays I guess I'm no better than any one else. I guess it's up to me to quit be ing so sanctimOnious."
 Agnes heard him almost unbeliev- tngly. 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