y
feeling it. You proceed to say: "I will name each card before showing it
to you, and you are at liberty to shuffle the pack as many times as you
may desire.

"The card I am now feeling appears to be (say) the queen of spades." You
then show the card held between your thumb and finger, at the same time
glancing at the palmed card. Throw the former on the table, and putting
your hand behind your back again, nip the palmed card with the first two
fingers of the left hand, and palm the top card as before. You can go
through the whole pack in this manner, but each time you hand it to be
shuffled, be sure to have one card palmed. This trick should not be
attempted until it has been thoroughly rehearsed.

WHERE IS THE ACE?

Select the ace and five of hearts and two other cards of the same suit
and conceal the five behind one of the latter so as to make it appear
you have only three cards. Hold the two cards (with the concealed five)
faces down, a little distance apart and showing the ace place it
deliberately behind them so that the pip shows between (Fig. 2) when the
cards are held up. Having shown the cards in the latter position to the
company, lower them again and defy any one to lift up the ace. A member
of the company does so and naturally looks at the card, when you say,
"But you must not look at it. Take the card off and place it face down
on the table, and I will then tell you whether your attempt has been
successful. We will try again?" Re-arranging the cards, substitute the
five for the ace and place it so that the centre pip alone is visible
between the two cards. Repeat your challenge and request your friend to
remove the ace, place it on the table, and cover it with his hand. When
this is done ask him if he still has the ace, and he will naturally say
"Yes." Tell him to raise his hand, and to his astonishment he will find
the five.

[Illustration]
Fig. 2.

TO MAKE A PERSON NAME A CARD WHICH YOU HAVE YOURSELF SELECTED

Take any card from two to ten, say the five of hearts, and lay it face
down on the table without permitting any one to see its face. Then
announce your intention of examining a number of the company as to their
knowledge about cards. Ask for a volunteer, and on one consenting to act
tell him to answer your questions rapidly and to make his replies short.
Then put the following questions: "How many cards are there in a full
pa