Let me tell you a tale of strange occurrences.

The little Inn was a safe haven, or so it appeared, on this dark stormy night. I had received some strange looks from the inhabitants as I had entered their little shelter from the ensuing storm. I ordered some fire water from the proprietor and settled in front of the roaring log fire in order to chase the chill from my bones. It was a strange little place. The lights were very dim and the conversation was muted. The shadows flickered and danced across the walls. The locals cast many a dark glance in my direction. These were a dangerous people. I spent the evening drawing them close to me through the influence of mystic powers and enchantment. I told them many tales and and provided much of the wine and gradually they began to trust me. Finally I began to ply my trade. 

"I can offer you much in this life" I said "You can have all that you
desire. Fame, wealth and all the physical pleasures you wish, for the rest of your life. If you will but consider my offer. In return for this life of pleasure you must gamble with a soul. Not necessarily your own soul of course, but a soul never-the-less. Should I win, the soul shall belong to me and my master, for eternity. Should you win, you shall receive the prize of earthly pleasure for a life time, and the payment shall be forfeit."

I knew that these fools would accept my wager. They were hard drinking men. They lived hard and played hard with no thought or belief in the human soul, or of eternity.

I gazed around the table at my five drunken companions. Their souls were already lost. Soon I would claim them. You must nominate a soul as payment for this pleasure. It may be your own soul or that of someone else. There are five of you here.  Each of you write down a name on this piece of paper. The names you have written are your nominees (The poor fools wrote down each others names). 

As they were writing. I removed from my traveling bag a battered and beaten wooden box from which I removed an ancient looking altar cloth, of course my altar, skulls and accoutrements. Also five miniature coffins of intriguing design and laid them in a circle around the cloth. I collected the cards with the nominees thereon. They were gathered together and torn in half as I explained:

" Each nominated soul will take the risk of being destroyed, in order
that you may enjoy earthly pleasure for a life time. Perhaps one of these shall be given over to darkness, or depending on the outcome all may go free. You however shall receive the pleasures of the flesh throughout your life simply for having the courage to involve yourself in our wager."

The torn cards are split into two separate piles (sorry packets,
magicians don't have piles). The first packet is counted onto the table, as they are you positioning of the cards are reversed, i.e. what was top card now becomes the face card of the packet. The second packet is counted but retained in the same order and then placed on to the table.

"We shall spell the words WHEN THE DEVIL CALLS and for each letter we shall move one card from the top of a packet to the bottom of the same packet, at each letter you can decide which packet we shall utilize. When we have completed spelling a word we shall discard the top card of each packet, and place them aside. Then we shall spell the next word and so on until two portions of a card remain. We shall turn them face up and if the two pieces of card bear the same signature (or halves thereof), that soul shall be given to darkness in payment for your reward."

This is done. As each word is spelt out the two discarded portions are placed together at one side (you will end up with four packets of two half cards plus the chosen half cards).

When the chosen cards are turned up, they of course match i.e. they are the same name.

"It appears that we have been successful. We have chosen a soul, which shall be condemned to darkness and reside with the master in hell. However my master is a greedy entity and one soul is never enough"

As you say this the discarded pairs are turned face up. Each is found to be a matching pair.

"Five souls would be better, may you enjoy your life of pleasure and your eternal stay in hell. You need not worry about the payment. it has already been taken care of."

"Never gamble with the Devil".

This is followed by a Vincent price laugh, as each name is carefully folded and placed in a coffin (one name to a coffin). Each coffin is
placed into the old wooden box and you wander off into the darkness with your prize.

My children love this presentation. It was inspired, of course by the self working card trick (spit) 'Last two cards match' the set of coffins which were available via Karl Bartoni, (but  now only through The House Of Secrets or Mary Tomich) although you do want five of them not four, (It does not matter if one is a duplicate and I think these outlets could provide the extra coffin box) and a routine by Brother Shadow, 'Seven Deadly Sins'.

Best wishes from Father David (Father of the Craft),
David Lees.