Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/41

Rh rather increased than diminished volume, and the cattle and the good roan displayed much uneasiness. Leaving the farm buildings he proceeded into the road, where an unusual glow in the sky towards the North-East attracted his attention. The confused sound that came from the same quarter was broken by shrieks, whistles, and hisses of a weird and unaccountable character. Following the road a furlong, he came to a rising ground, whence he could obtain a wide view over the rolling prairie land. Here he stopped, and gazing intently through the darkness discerned a long row of twinkling lights that seemed to extend for miles across the wide plain. As he looked, the line seemed to lengthen and widen, the lights grew brighter and more defined, till at length like a lightning flash there broke upon his mind the meaning of what he saw. It was no mortal foe, but the dreaded host of machines, of which half-credited reports had reached his distant ranche, come out in their thousands against the race of man.

He tore back to his stables, flung open a door, and sprang half dressed as he was on the bare back of the roan above mentioned, and leaving farm and cattle to