Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Horror of the Heights
Possibly,hadtheenginebeenatitsbest,anotherthousandfeetmighthavebeenwithinourcapacity,butitwasstillmisfiring,andtwooutofthetencylindersappearedtobeoutofaction.IfIhadnotalreadyreachedthezoneforwhichIwassearchingthenIshouldneverseeituponthisjourney.ButwasitnotpossiblethatIhadattainedit?Soaringincircleslikeamonstroushawkupontheforty-thousand-footlevelIletthemonoplaneguideherself,andwithmyMannheimglassImadeacarefulobservationofmysurroundings.Theheavenswereperfectlyclear;therewasnoindicationofthosedangerswhichIhadimagined.
"IhavesaidthatIwassoaringincircles.ItstruckmesuddenlythatIwoulddowelltotakeawidersweepandopenupanewairtract.Ifthehunterenteredanearth-junglehewoulddrivethroughitifhewishedtofindhisgame.Myreasoninghadledmetobelievethattheair-junglewhichIhadimaginedlaysomewhereoverWiltshire.Thisshouldbetothesouthandwestofme.Itookmybearingsfromthesun,forthecompasswashopelessandnotraceofearthwastobeseen—nothingbutthedistant,silvercloud-plain.However,IgotmydirectionasbestImightandkeptherheadstraighttothemark.Ireckonedthatmypetrolsupplywouldnotlastformorethananotherhourorso,butIcouldaffordtouseittothelastdrop,sinceasinglemagnificentvol-planecouldatanytimetakemetotheearth.
"SuddenlyIwasawareofsomethingnew.Theairinfrontofmehadlostitscrystalclearness.Itwasfulloflong,raggedwispsofsomethingwhichIcanonlycomparetoveryfinecigarettesmoke.
