One of the most novel effects that has come to my attention is that which follows. True, it is a principle which is neither new nor original, but the application makes it something that will be of interest whenever shown, and allows of not a little histrionic byplay.

Mr Robson has long been noted for his ghost stories and horror tales under green lights and such so this emanation from an imaginative brain is excusable. Certainly the variation will be remembered above other forms of the principle.

You have six small cards like those illustrated and on which are printed the words as shown. Your cards are exact duplicates of the ones here except for the figures on each. You must mark the five small cards so as to know which is which from the back. Dotting them is a good plan but the best idea is to have each of them a different color. You then can tell which are left from across the room or at a good distance.

Put the large card in your pocket and put the five cards on the table face up. Ask a person to think of any horror word and to pick up and pocket all papers on which this word can be found.

Immediately you reveal the word, or impressively (Robson revels in this) describe personal feelings, situations, and thoughts until finally the meaning of the word becomes clear and you name it exactly.

This is by far the best presentation.

What makes this a fool-proof effect and very puzzling to those who witness it is the fact that you never touch nor go near the papers, never ask a question, and yet are able to reveal the word.

Secrets like this are simple to work but complex to an audience. The master list you carry is numbered from 1 to 14 and has two columns as do the small cards. It is only necessary for you to mentally add together the numbers on the slips picked up and compare it with the same number on the master list.

If the Extra card is selected also it simply means the word is in the first column at the number reached by totalling the values of what other cards have been picked up.

If the Extra card is not picked up, the word will be at the same number but in the second column. And there is never any trouble telling which cards have been picked up from a distance because of the colors. When working close and without colored cards, have the dot marks on backs and tell the person to turn face down all cards not picked up. Therefore, if Vampire were thought of, cards one, four and eight would be the ones picked up.

This totals 13 and that word in the second column is Vampire.

However if cards one, four, eight and the Extra card were picked up, the word would be 13th in the first column which is Murder.

And that’s just about what you are getting away with.