'Surely thou wouldst not have the heart to fulfil thy threat,' said the stranger, 'although 'tis true I have but one shoe to be soiled by the mud.' And as he spoke he quietly crossed his legs, and Jeremiah perceived a hideous cloven foot.
With a groan, the wizard sank into his chair, and, deaf to the roaring of the thunder, and to the beating of the rain through the doorway, he sat helplessly gazing at his guest, whose metallic laughter rang through the room.
'Hast thou at length recognised me, Jeremiah?' asked the Evil One, after an interval, during which he had somewhat prominently displayed the hoof, and gloated over the agony its exhibition had caused his victim.
The old man was almost too terrified to answer, but at last he whispered—
'I have.'
'And thou no longer wilt refuse me the security?' hissed the tormentor, as he placed a parchment upon the table.
'What security dost thou demand?' feebly inquired the quaking wizard.
'Personal only,' said Satan. 'Put thy name to this,' and he pointed to the bond.
Jeremy pushed his chair as far from the suspicious-looking document as he could ere he replied—
'Thou shalt not have name of mine.'