What is the rising action of "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

The rising action in "The Devil and Tom Walker" by
Washington Irving consists of all the events that take place between the devil and Tom
before the turning point of the story when Tom refuses to pay the devil his due share of
the profits.  Tom first meets the devil while walking through a detour in the swamp, and
here their relationship begins.  Later, the devil presumably kills Tom's wife and men in
town who are guilty of bad acts.  The devil senses Tom's greed and proposes that they
strike a bargain.  The action rises as Tom agrees to become a usurer for the devil--Tom
believes that he is going to get rich, while the reader understands that Tom has made an
unbreakable pact with the devil.  Tom does become wealthy, and his greedy acts continue
to make the action of the story rise.  This heightened tension is then challenged when
the devil comes to reclaim the money and Tom must make a choice.  His refusal to submit
to the devil ends the rising action and the turning point in the story
occurs.