Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net HIGH MAN By JAY CLARKE Illustrated by KOSSIN [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction June 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] [Sidenote: _Roger got his chance to rise in the world ... and wound up with his head in the clouds!_] London, W. 1 April 3 Roger Brisby Hotel Massilon New York, N. Y. Roger dearest, I haven't heard from you since you arrived in New York. Are you well? All my love, Anne * * * * * London, W. 1 April 11 Roger dear, Really, Roger, you might have some consideration. After all, I _am_ your fiancée. The very least you could do is drop me a postal card, even if you _are_ on a business trip. I worry about you, Roger. It's been three weeks since I've heard from you. Love, Anne * * * * * London, W. 1 April 16 My dear Roger, I won't stand for it. I simply _won't_! I know you too well! You're probably running around with those awful American women, and using _my_ money to do it! Business trip, indeed! Don't think an ocean between us is going to stop me from finding out what you're doing! You write me this instant! Anne * * * * * VIA WU CABLES LONDON APR 24 ROGER BRISBY HOTEL MASSILON NY FIVE WEEKS SINCE WORD FROM YOU STOP IF DONT HEAR FROM YOU TWENTY FOUR REPEAT TWENTY FOUR HOURS COMMA ENGAGEMENT BROKEN STOP ALSO WILL SUE FOR BREACH OF PROMISE COMMA DESERTION COMMA AND EXTORTION AND FRAUD FOR MONEY YOU HAVE BORROWED FROM ME STOP CABLE COLLECT STOP I STOPPED YOUR DRAW ON MY ACCOUNT AT BANK STOP ANNE * * * * * Hotel Massilon, N. Y. April 25 My dearest Anne, Please forgive the delay in replying to your letters and cable. The truth is that I was quite unable to write, anxious as I was to do so. It's a rather long story, but I would like to explain just how this came to be and so prove how unfounded your suspicions were. You see, shortly after I arrived here, I ran into a Professor Phelps-Smythe Burdinghaugh, lately of England. Professor Burdinghaugh has been forced to resign from several universities in England because of the rather free manner in which he conducted his experiments. He admitted that no less than 16 physics laboratories have been demolished through his own miscalculations. At any rate, finding the atmosphere in our country somewhat cool toward his continued researches, he came to New York, which, as you know, is inhabited wholly by wealthy eccentrics, tourists and boors. Such an environment was eminently suited to the Professor's needs and he settled here to work on an anti-gravity belt, his lifelong project.