Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/43

 somewhat to my surprise, my conductor reversed our direction, saying in explanation,—

"As we are not pressed for time, I have taken you some distance past our turning, so as to give you a fair idea of our ordinary means of locomotion."

"What speed can these machines attain?" I inquired, with a lively recollection of our recent spin down the slope we were now leisurely ascending.

"On a level they easily maintain a speed of twenty miles an hour: on a long descent, they are never allowed to attain the velocity they might reach, for obvious considerations."

At this moment the long, clear blast of the sounder was heard from behind. After a brief interval a single rider on his curricle dashed past us at a rapid rate that soon took him out of sight.

"Yon see the white line running along the centre of the road," resumed Utis. "The rule of the road requires that line to be kept on the left, except when passing a vehicle in front. Then the line may be crossed, provided the way on that side is clear."

It is not to be supposed the only vehicle seen was that above mentioned. Especially since we had turned, we continued to meet them at short intervals. All, evidently, were on their way home. Wagons, too, rumbled along steadily, or turned off on the road leading to the owner's abode. Glimpses I caught of them between the trees, as they moved along on the roads parallel with ours, made me wish for a nearer view. But for their dress, the drivers, seated in front on their saddle-shaped seats, would have strongly reminded me of brakesmen on wagons de-