Minute by minute the excitement increased; faster the worshippers jumped, and louder they sang.  Through it all Brother Enoch Hines kept on with his sermon.  It was very difficult now to make himself heard, and the time for explanation or elucidation had long since passed; all he could do was to shout forth certain important and moving facts, and this he did over and over again, holding his hand at the side of his mouth, as if he were hailing a vessel in the wind.  Much of what he said was lost in the din of the jumpers, but ever and anon could be heard ringing through the church the announcement:  “De wheel ob time is a turnin’ roun’!”

In a group by themselves, in an upper corner of the congregation, were four or five very old women, who were able to manifest their pious enthusiasm in no other way than by rocking their bodies backwards and forwards, and singing with their cracked voices a gruesome and monotonous chant.  This rude song had something of a wild and uncivilized nature, as if it had come down to these old people from the savage rites of their African ancestors.  They did not sing in unison, but each squeaked or piped out her, “Yi, wiho, yi, hoo!” according to the strength of her lungs, and the degree of her exaltation.  Prominent among these was old Aunt Patsy; her little black eyes sparkling through her great iron-bound spectacles; her head and body moving in unison with the wild air of the unintelligible chant she sang; her long, skinny hands clapping up and down upon her knees; while her feet, encased in their great green baize slippers, unceasingly beat time upon the floor.

So many persons being absent from their seats, the group of old women was clearly visible to Annie and Lawrence, and Aunt Patsy also could easily see them.  Whenever her head, in its ceaseless moving from side to side, allowed her eyes to fall upon the two white visitors, her ardor and fervency increased, and she seemed to be expressing a pious gratitude that Miss Annie and he, whom she supposed to be her husband, were still together in peace and safety.

Annie was much affected by all she saw and heard.  Her face was slightly pale, and occasionally she was moved by a little nervous tremor.  Mr Croft, too, was very attentive.  His soul was not moved to enthusiasm, and he did not feel, as his companion did, now and then, that he would like to jump up and join in the dancing and the shouting; but the scene made a very strong impression upon him.

Around and around went the two rings of men and women, jumping, singing, and hand-shaking.  Out from the centre of them came the stentorian shout:  “De wheel ob time is a turnin’ roun’!” From all parts of the church rose snatches of hymns, exultant shouts, groans, and prayers; and, in the corner, the shrill chants of the old women were fitfully heard through the storm of discordant worship.

In the midst of all the wild din and hubbub, the soul of Aunt Patsy looked out from the habitation where it had dwelt so long, and, without giving the slightest notice to any one, or attracting the least attention by its movements, it silently slipped away.