The following combination of two mysteries is of the type most suitable for intimate audiences and small club shows. By following the first effect, which is repeated several times, with the second, and improved version of the Princess Card Trick, and which is done but once for the climax, one has a very bewildering series of apparent predictions and mental selections.

Four Jacks are selected from the pack and shown. One is placed face downwards on the table, and a spectator asked to name one of the four Knaves. No matter which is called, the card on the table proves to be the one selected, and the trick is repeated a number of times.

If we examine the four cards used in this experiment, we find that three of the Jacks are faked to make each responsible for two different suits according to which end is shown, the thumb covering the pip at the other end in such a case. In order to keep things clear we shall associate each card with a number:

Faked Jack of Clubs and Diamonds
Faked Jack of Spades and Clubs
Faked Jack of Hearts and Clubs (1) (2) (3)
Ordinary Jack of Diamonds (4)

With this arrangement it will be readily understood that any one of the three trick cards placed on the table gives the performer an even chance of turning up the one mentally selected, for he can cover either pip end to show the card apparently another. This trick alone, however, is not sufficient to bring the experiment to a conclusion with certainty, so the following ingenious artifice is resorted to.

In showing the four Jacks to the spectator, they are spread fanwise in the order given, so that the cards appear to him, JC, JS, JH, JD, the genuine JD on the top, making the others look ordinary. Holding the four cards behind his back, the performer withdraws N° 1, places it face down on the table, and requests any suit to be named. If clubs be called for, the card on the table has only to be lifted by the diamond corner to prove that the spectator’s thought was correctly indicated. Likewise, lifting by the club corner serves if the diamond suit be mentioned.

Should, however, either of the two remaining suits be named, the performer knowing the order of the cards behind his back, merely turns upside down the card displaying the selected suit, and then bringing the three cards faces up to the spectator shows that THE DESIRED CARD IS MISSING, by conjuror’s logic thus proving the card on the table to be the one missing. Without giving the audience any time for reflection, the card on the table is picked up and put with the three others behind the back. Offering to repeat the effect THE SAME CARD is again placed face downward on the table, and by either of the methods at command, proved to be the one thought of. This, of course, can be repeated as often as desired, but for the purpose of this routine do it either three or four times, always stopping when the card on the table can be picked up to show it apparently correct.

The performer now suggests a variation using any five cards the spectator may choose. They are taken from the remainder of the deck.

The shortcomings with the old version of the Princess trick were (1) the necessity of memorizing the five cards in their fanned order, (2) the need for asking for the name of the thought of card, (3) and finally the pocket count to the card as all eyes were on you for the climax. But let’s eliminate all of these faults here. Previously you have put any four cards from the deck into your right trouser pocket. First do the four Jack routine. Then display a cardboard easel having 5 spaces to contain cards. The spectator shuffles the deck and removes 5 cards which he places face down in the spaces. Next he glimpses any one card while the performer’s back is turned. The performer collects the cards in order, puts them into his pocket, and immediately comes out with the 4 cards. They are handed the spectator to replace (still face down) upon the stand, leaving empty the space upon which originally rested his looked at card. The performer takes from his pocket the 5th card and puts it into that space. And ONLY NOW he asks the spectator to name his card and then turn that one over. The performer, seeing the empty space needs bring out the card at that position among those in his pocket!