When Tom Walker initially meets Old Scratch in the swamp, the devil tells him about Kidd's buried treasure and informs Tom that nobody will be able to discover the buried money, because it is under his protection. The devil then offers to place the money within Tom's reach under "certain conditions." While Irving never directly states the terms of their agreement, it is implied that the devil offers Tom the buried treasure in exchange for his soul. Tom does not initially accept the devil's offer and meets with him once again after his wife disappears. In their second meeting, Tom haggles with the devil about the terms of their agreement, because the devil insists that the buried treasure is used to advance his evil agenda. Initially, the devil wants Tom to be a slave trader, but Tom refuses. Tom finally agrees to be a usurer and ends up taking advantage of people with financial difficulties by foreclosing on their mortgages. Tom also agrees to sell his soul to the devil to become wealthy. Tom and Old Scratch strike a deal and Tom lives his life as a wealthy, callous man until the devil visits him to take his soul.
In "The Devil and Tom Walker," Tom is desperate to have possession of the hidden treasure and is prepared to make a deal with the Devil in order to get it. Firstly, the Devil offers Tom the treasure in return for his soul, but Tom categorically refuses.
Later in the story, however, the pair do come to agreeable terms. The Devil will give Tom the treasure so long as Tom uses the money to make the Devil a profit. The Devil asks Tom to become a slave trader, but Tom has no desire to join this profession. Instead, Tom suggests that he will become a usurer (a moneylender), an occupation to which the Devil agrees.
After the bargain is struck, Tom sets up his moneylending business in Boston. He is so successful in this business that it does not take long for him to become extremely wealthy and completely driven by financial gain.
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