OCR Text |
Show BY PATH AND TRAIL. 117 " The same, at your service." A bargain was quickly made. In exchange for his soul, by a document to be duly signed and delivered, the prodi gal was to receive more money than was necessary to re establish his fortune; and to enjoy until the dissolution of his natural body, all that he desired, all that earth could offer him; sensual delight, influence, a distin guished career in society, the intoxication of power, in short all that gold could purchase and secure. However, the Spanird was no fool, and before he attached his sig nature to the fatal contract, he wished to be satisfied that he was face to face with the Master of Hell, the Eebel Lucifer. " Before I sign this parchment, may I ask you a few questions ?" " Certainly," replied Satan. " Well, since you are Lucifer, how long have you dealt with the children of Adam?" i ' Since that day I laughed at God, when in the Garden of Eden, I seduced Eve." i i Then you must have met in the waning years of His mortal life Him whom men style Christ?" " I followed Him about for three years, and for the defeats He inflicted on my friends and for the insults He offered to me I gave Him blow for blow. ' ' " Were you present when He hung on the Cross of Cal vary, between a murderer and a thief, and did you wit ness his awful agony and ignominious death?" " I was, of all the crowd that mocked Him and laughed at Him when He hung on the wood, the most pleased wit ness. Why, I inspired the fools who nailed Him to the wood. It was I who tempted Judas, the Iscariot, to be tray Him; I inspired the Hebrew priests to insult Him, another to spit upon Him, and my friend Pilate, who now occupies a conspicuous place in my kingdom, to scourge |