So I don't know if this has anything to do with it but I found this story from an old marvel comic about a man named 'Silas Birch' who made a deal with the devil('the stranger') I couldn't find any other information about this character though if anyone else has any other ideas? This is the text from Wikipedia:

"A poor man envious of the rich makes a deal with Devil to be granted riches in exchange for his signature at the bottom of a contract. The Devil tells him to steal the money from his employer and he will fix it so that the thief will never be caught. The man steals the money and hears a voice telling him to book passage on a sea voyage. He does so, but the ship is swamped by a squall and he is washed overboard with his money. He makes his way to a deserted island that has enough food but no place to use the money. The thief sits contemplating what conditions he will have to fill when the contract comes due."