Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Horror of the Heights
Atone-thirtyIwasnearlysevenmilesabovethesurfaceoftheearth,andstillascendingsteadily.Ifound,however,thattherarefiedairwasgivingmarkedlylesssupporttomyplanes,andthatmyangleofascenthadtobeconsiderablyloweredinconsequence.Itwasalreadyclearthatevenwithmylightweightandstrongengine-powertherewasapointinfrontofmewhereIshouldbeheld.Tomakemattersworse,oneofmysparking-plugswasintroubleagainandtherewasintermittentmisfiringintheengine.Myheartwasheavywiththefearoffailure.
"ItwasaboutthattimethatIhadamostextraordinaryexperience.Somethingwhizzedpastmeinatrailofsmokeandexplodedwithaloud,hissingsound,sendingforthacloudofsteam.FortheinstantIcouldnotimaginewhathadhappened.ThenIrememberedthattheearthisforeverbeingbombardedbymeteorstones,andwouldbehardlyinhabitableweretheynotinnearlyeverycaseturnedtovapourintheouterlayersoftheatmosphere.Hereisanewdangerforthehigh-altitudeman,fortwootherspassedmewhenIwasnearingtheforty-thousand-footmark.Icannotdoubtthatattheedgeoftheearth’senvelopetheriskwouldbeaveryrealone.
"Mybarographneedlemarkedforty-onethousandthreehundredwhenIbecameawarethatIcouldgonofarther.Physically,thestrainwasnotasyetgreaterthanIcouldbearbutmymachinehadreacheditslimit.Theattenuatedairgavenofirmsupporttothewings,andtheleasttiltdevelopedintoside-slip,whilesheseemedsluggishonhercontrols.
