Offers and amounts were hurled from lip to lip with feverish rapidity.

"One to three on the Harvard-Watson!" "One to two on the Dion-Bouton!" "Even money on the Renault!" These cries rang along the line of spectators at each new announcement from the telephones.
Suddenly at half-past nine by the town clock of Prairie-du-chien, two miles beyond that town was heard a tremendous noise and rumbling which proceeded from the midst of a flying cloud of dust accompanied by shrieks like those of a naval siren.
Scarcely had the crowds time to draw to one side, to escape a destruction which would have included hundreds of victims.

The cloud swept by like a hurricane.

No one could distinguish what it was that passed with such speed.

There was no exaggeration in saying that its rate was at least one hundred and fifty miles an hour.
The apparition passed and disappeared in an instant, leaving behind it a long train of white dust, as an express locomotive leaves behind a train of smoke.