Heswayed，brokeintoafitofcoughing，andsankbackuponthesofa，tremblingalloverandstillmutteringthathewasready。
Therewasahushedsilenceforamomentortwo，andthenastormofhallelujahsandshouts。Mr。Perleystartedanotherhymn，anditwassungwithtremendousenthusiasm。
Justbehindthenervousyoungmanwiththecelluloidcollarsatastoutindividualwithabaldhead。ThiswasAbijahThompson，knownbytheirreverentas”Barking”Thompson，anicknamebestowedbecauseofhispeculiarhabitofgraduallypuffingup，likeafrog，underreligiousexcitement，andthenburstingforthinaninarticulateshout，disconcertingtotheuninitiated。DuringBaxter’sspeechandthesingingofthehymnhisexpansiveredcheekshadbeendistendedlikeballoons，andhisbreathcameshorterandshorter。Mr。Perleyhadarisenandwasholdinguphishandforsilence，whenwithoneterrific”Boo！””Barking”
Thompson’sspiritualexaltationexplodeddirectlyintheearofthenervousstranger。
TheyoungmanshotoutofhischairasifMr。Thompsonhadfiredadynamitechargebeneathhim。”Oh，theDevil！”heshrieked，andthensubsided，blushingtothebackofhisneck。