The Mystery Of The Flaming Footprints-us by Alfred Hitchcock

Author:Alfred Hitchcock
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

53

Caught!

and shrubs — the scrub oak and juniper and the sage, and at higher elevations the manzanita. They are extremely hardy plants which can survive on very little rainfall. California is one of the few areas where chaparral exists, so there is great interest in the plants.”

Bob sat silently and marvelled at Jupiter’s almost total recall of an article on chaparral that had appeared in a recent issue of Nature magazine. Total recall, Bob knew, was not uncommon among actors who had to remember lines, and Jupiter had once been a child actor.

On went Jupiter Jones, and on and on, describing the smell of chaparral in the spring, after the rains. He was telling how it held the hillsides firm when

General Kaluk suddenly lifted one hand.

“Enough,” said the general. “I share your admiration for chaparral. Courageous plants, if plants can be said to have courage. Now, if you please, we will get to the point. Your names?”

“Jupiter Jones,” said Jupe.

“Bob Andrews,” said Bob.

“Very well. And now you will tell me what you were doing in my garden.”

“It’s a shortcut,” said Jupe truthfully. “We hiked up the trail from Rocky

Beach and cut across. We can get down to the main road on your lane.”

“The lane is private property.”

“Yes, sir. We know. But Hilltop House has been empty for many years, and people have become accustomed to using the lane when they hike.”

“They will have to become unaccustomed,” declared the general. “I think, Jupiter Jones, that I have met you before.”

“We didn’t actually meet,” said Jupe. “Mr Demetrieff talked to me yesterday when you took the wrong turn off the road.”

“Ah, yes. And with you was an elderly man with a beard. Who is he?”

“We call him The Potter,” said Jupiter. “I believe that is his real name —

Alexander Potter.”

“He is a friend of yours?” asked the general.

“I know him,” admitted Jupiter. “Everyone in Rocky Beach knows The

Potter.”

The general nodded. “I believe I have heard of him.” He turned towards

Demetrieff, and firelight gleamed on his tanned skin. Jupiter saw a fine tracery of wrinkles on his cheeks. Kaluk was not ageless; he was old.

“Demetrieff,” said the general, “did you not tell me there was a famed craftsman here who made pots?”

“And other things,” put in Bob.

“I would enjoy very much meeting him,” said the general. It was not exactly a question, and yet the general paused as if he were waiting for a reply.

Neither Jupiter nor Bob said anything.

“It is his shop at the bottom of my hill,” said the general at last.

“It is his shop,” said Jupiter.

“And he has guests,” the general went on. “A young woman and a boy.

Unless I make a mistake, you helped them today when they arrived at the shop.”

“That’s right,” said Jupiter.

“A neighbourly thing to do, no doubt,” said the general. “You know those people?”

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