Smyrna times., 1936-01-02
Reading to While Away Time
Under the Evening Lamp
When Days Work is Done
INTERESTING READING
GIP'S ALIBI
By Wilbur Cripe

''Gyp had rushed to the window
at the sound of shots. He whirled
now, a runt of a man, but broad
of shoulder and powerful for his
size. AS Slick slumped to the floor
he tried to catch him, but too late.
"Joe Ramelli-" Slick whispered
the name of his assassin and Clip
knelt to listen. Grim lines formed
in his face. Then, with frantic
concern:
''Let me get a doctor"
mo use" Sticks slender hands
reached up to hold him. I'm done
for" A grayish pallor crept into
his cheeks. "See'f you can
find johnny"
"Sure, I'll find Johnny. Now,
don't you worry about Johnny.
And"-his voice grew husky with
threat-'Ill take care Of Joe Ra-
melli, too
Slick closed his eyes.
Clip had a sentimental streak
about funerals. He gave Slick Sar-
rett snowy send-off. A riot of
color ending in a riot of gunfire.
With the police taking part and so
many shots being fired there was
no way to determine who did kill
Joe Ramelli.
Clip went to the hospital with
bullet in his hip. Before he re-
covered a clever dick traced a
stick-up job to his door. Enough
TO send him to the big house for a
year.
But Clip did not mind that. He
was free again, and not the kind
of baby to stay broke long. He
still had his coupe with bullet-proof
glass, too. In this coupe, and with
ideas in his head. he started for
Indiana.
Johnny Sarrett was a likable and
pleasant faced lad. Three of his
fifteen years had been spent in bed.
Clip stared at the silky, brown hair,
the shrewd blue eyes, lips full and
tender as a girls. The resemblance
of father and son fascinated him.
Careful questioning netted the in
formation that Johnny's spine might
be made good as ever, with an ex-
pensive operation.
Clip placed hand on his shoul-
der. Leave it to me, kid. One of
these days I'll have lots Of jack"
you've already done too much"
Johnny waived the operation with
a smile and a hopeless gesture Of
his thin hands.
Tell me about father"
Gip's association with Slick Sar-
rett had been almost brotherly. He
had great many things to tell
which made Johnny's eyes glow.
Clip departed with hearty prom
fses to return in about a week. But
he was no more than five miles
away when an armed posse in a
fleet car headed him off.
The officers laughed at his ignor-
ance of local bank stick-up, a
half hour earlier. Certain their
captive knew all about it, they made
a dryly humorous explanation. A
short, broad man had driven up to
the bank in a coupe. He had in
yited the cashier to open the vault,
and the latter had done so with a
nasty looking pistol jabbing his
ribs. After cramming eleven thou
sand dollars in brown leather bag,
the bandit got away. Bullet-proof
glass had protected him from a hail
of lead, fired by vigilantes.
Clip sneered, "I haven't the
money. You've got the wrong
man."
A search of his car proved the
truth of his first statement. But
unfortunately for Clip, it led to the
discovery of the bullet-proof glass
and a wicked looking rod in the
dash compartment.
Clip was in hot spot. Any vari-
ations in appearance between him.
self and the real robber could not
be determined. Another thing was
against him. The house where
Johnny lived was on a side street,
isolated from other dwellings. It
was quite unlikely anybody had no
ttced his parked coupe. And there
had been no traffic at all.
But there was one tiny ray Of
hope. If he could convince the
authorities that he really had visit
ed Johnny, he might be able to
prove his presence in the boys
room at the time Of the stick-up.
So he told the sheriff all he pru-
IDENTIFY could, and this officer. un-
convinced but fair-minded. sent a
deputy to investigate.
Johnny had already learned Of
the robbery. But he did not know
Clip was in custody. He was In
fever Of excitement, thinking that
Clip had pulled the stick-up right
after leaving him. To pay for
Johnny's operation, no doubt. His
heart nearly burst at the thought
of this loyalty In his fathers old
friend.
Besides. Johnny had been trained