"But, yes," said the Devil. "I have frequently been a beautiful woman, but I must admit, never one quite so beautiful. I believe I will enjoy using your body for the next twenty or thirty years. Believe me, I'll take good care of it. It won't grow old and fade as it would if you were using it. I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually became somebody very important, perhaps even a queen, or the wife of a president. Some position where I can control the world politically as well as morally and anti-ecclesiastically."
He advanced slowly toward Pearl, his gaze boring into her eyes. "Don't resist, girl," he said. "It won't take but a second, and you'll be rid of me. I promise I won't bother you and your family again. You'll be free to live out your lives in whatever happiness you choose to make of them...."
Pearl stood stiffly now, her face a mask of utter horror. Joe felt a wave of blackness engulfing him, a wave of sheer hate that almost consumed him, but he could not move a muscle. Then, as Pearl seemed to wilt for a moment, seemed about to fall, there came the rush of bare feet and a childish scream as Sally flung herself into the room and raced straight toward the Devil.
Her slim arms were extended, and she hit the Devil full in the back. He staggered forward, tripped on the rug, and crashed headlong against the refrigerator. He dropped like a poled ox and lay there, unconscious.
Joe, released from the paralysis that held him, leaped forward and hurled himself upon the Devil's body. Granddad, too, swung into action, and between them they both knelt on an arm of the prone Devil, and then Joe barked: "Mother, fetch a clothesline. We've got to tie him up. Once we've done that, you go and get a log chain, Dad, and we'll chain him up out in the old storm cellar."
"You bet," said Dad. "And then we'll bulldoze enough dirt over it so he'll never get out!"
"Now you're talking," said Joe. "Not even a mouse must get into that cellar...."
He clamped a hand on the Devil's throat and held it in readiness. "Don't look at him, anybody," he warned. "He's coming to. Hurry with that clothesline, Mother!"
The Devil's eyes opened, and he looked up dazedly. There was no recognition in them. He looked up at Joe. "What's happened?" he asked, then groaned. He closed his eyes a moment as a wave of dizziness obviously swept over him. Then he opened them again. "Who are you?" he asked.