ished,
four cards only being visible. These cards are now turned face
downwards and mixed with the remainder of the pack, which it will be
remembered is still lying scattered upon the table. The performer,
showing his hands quite empty, now proceeds to select another five
cards, which he places face down upon the floor at the feet of his
temporary assistant and asks him to touch with a stick any one of the
five cards. The assistant does so, and, to his astonishment, the
touched card is turned over and seen to be the missing card.

_Modus Operandi._--When the pack has been spread face down upon the
table and the five cards handed to the performer, he asks for one of
the five cards to be named. This having been done, he gives the cards a
shuffle, and contrives to get the named card to the top, and secretly
reverses it. It will thus be seen that when the cards are dropped faces
up upon the other cards scattered about the table, the selected card
has apparently vanished. The four remaining cards are now turned over
and mixed with the others, the performer being careful not to lose
sight of the named card. Five cards are now taken seemingly at random
off the table, one of them of course being the selected card. The faces
of these five cards are not shown, but are immediately placed upon the
floor, care being taken to get THE card in the centre of the row. It
will be found that in nine cases out of ten the spectator invariably
touches the middle card, which, on being turned over, is found to be
the one he originally selected. Should the spectator, however, touch
any other card you simply revert to the well-known (to conjurers) dodge
of "Very well, we don't require this card," etc., etc.

THE "DE CASTON" METHOD OF
"RISING CARDS" FROM HAND.

_Effect._--Several cards having been selected and marked by the
audience are returned to the pack, which is thoroughly shuffled. The
cards rise from the pack whilst held in the performer's hand, and when
two-thirds of the card is visible. The performer requests the spectator
to remove his card himself, which he does, the card being drawn out
from about the centre of the pack. The remaining cards are produced in
a like manner, the effect being quite weird.

[Illustration]

_Modus Operandi._--For the purpose of this most mystifying card effect
it is necessary to prepare a few cards by cutting an oblong slit in
each card wide enough to admit the first finger. These cards are then