The Project Gutenberg EBook of Satan and the Comrades, by Ralph Bennitt

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Title: Satan and the Comrades

Author: Ralph Bennitt

Release Date: February 22, 2010 [EBook #31349]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SATAN AND THE COMRADES ***

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This etext was produced from Fantastic Universe, September
1956. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the
U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.

_It is not always easy to laugh at Satan, or take pleasure in
his antics. But when the Prince of Darkness goes on a vacation
or holds a mirror up to human nature at its most Luciferian
chuckles are certain to arise and follow one another in
hilarious profusion. Here is a yarn contrived by a craftsman
with ironic lightning bolts at his fingertips, as mordantly
compelling as it is jovial and Jovian. If you liked _SATAN
ON HOLIDAY_, and were hoping for a sequel you can now
rejoice in full measure, for Ralph Bennitt has provided that
longed-for delight._

SATAN AND THE COMRADES

_by ... Ralph Bennitt_

Lucifer wasn't sure that just the right improvements had been
made in Hell. So he used a dash of sulfur with Satanic skill.

Nick felt almost good-humoredly buoyant after his year's holiday as a
college boy. About a second after leaving Earth he slowed his
traveling speed down to the medium velocity of light by shifting from
fifth dimension to fourth. Though still a million miles above the
wastes of Chaos and twice that distance from the gates of Hell, his
X-ray eyes were quick to discern a difference in the road far below
him.

Sin and Death had built that broad highway eons before. On leaving
Hell, presumedly forever to carry on their work among men, they had
done a mighty good job of the original construction. But time had
worked its ravages with the primrose-lined path, and it was not
surprising that on starting his sabbatical leave, Nick had ordered his
chief engineer to repair the road as a first step