What surprising news does Tom receive from his wife when he returns?

When Tom returns home, his wife gives him the news that Absalom Crowninshield had died. This revelation convinces Tom that the devil was real, as he had seen a tree stump bearing Crowninshield's name while he was talking to the devil in the swamp. The tree had just been cut down, which would directly relate to Crowninshield's untimely death.