Royal Road to Card Magic The

left hand face upwards and slowly spread the four aces.
    Spring Catch
    The flourish springing the cards, when used in conjunction with the palm, affords a most effective climax to a programme of feats with cards. Let us say that you have secretly brought a spectator's card to the top of the pack.
    1. Palm the card in your right hand.
    2. Hold the pack face upwards in the right hand, bending it strongly as for the spring flourish.
    3. Let the cards fly upwards in a stream. Rapidly thrust your right hand among the cards in the air, and produce the palmed card at your fingertips by bending the top phalanx of the middle finger on the back of the card, then extending the fingers and placing the thumb on the inner right corner. The card is then held between the tips of the thumb and forefinger as if just caught from the air (figure 65).

    Simple as it sounds, this feat makes a brilliant finish to a series of card discoveries, but it must be done with dash and finesse.
    A Vested Interest
    A chosen card vanishes from the pack and is found under the performer's shirt, both waistcoat and shirt having to be opened to bring it out.
    The only requirements are a pack of cards and two pencil stubs. Have the latter in your upper left waistcoat pocket.
    1. Have the cards shuffled and allow a spectator to select one card freely. When he has noted it and has shown it to the others, have it returned and control it to the top.
    2. Shuffle the pack again, keeping the chosen card in the same position, then in squaring the cards palm it in your right hand. Give the pack to the spectator for him to shuffle also.
    3. As he does so, say, 'Oh, I forgot that in this experiment the card should be marked for identification.' Reach under your jacket to your waistcoat pocket and under cover of getting the small pencil stub, slip the end of the palmed card under the edge of your waistcoat at the armhole, then bring out both stubs. Continue, 'Will you find your card and place a small mark on its face?' Hand the spectator one of the stubs.
    4. Replace the second stub in your waistcoat pocket, at the same time reach out with your fingers and pull the card inwards under the waistcoat as far as possible.
    5. The spectator fails to find his card and tells you it is not in the pack. 'Your card has disappeared, you say? That's strange, very strange! What card was it?' The spectator names his card. 'Ah, that accounts for it. That card is the biggest prankster of the lot, always playing tricks on its own account. I feel something tickling me. Allow me, please.' Unbutton the second and third lower buttons of your waistcoat and open your shirt at that place. Thrust your right hand into the opening, your thumb going under the shirt and your fingers between the shirt and the waistcoat. Pull the card down with the tips of your fingers, then quickly seize it between the thumb and fingers, and draw it out smartly, apparently from under the shirt.
    'There it is, the playful little rascal. It was tickling me to let me know where it had got to!'
    The only plausible plot would seem to be the one indicated, namely, that the cards indulge in some unexpected antics of their own accord!
    The Piano Trick
    Announce that you will try to show a simple card trick of pure skill, and ask the company to pay particular attention to your movements, for your success will depend on whether or not they detect your sleight. Make this statement as a sincere challenge, for its purpose is to condition those present to look for a sleight that you never perform and thus divert them from the real explanation. 'If at any time I make a false movement,' you continue, 'I want you to stop me immediately and say so.'
    1. Hand a pack of cards to someone for shuffling and, when he is satisfied that they are well mixed, take them back and invite him to assist you. Have him place the tips of the fingers and thumbs of both hands on the table, the hands arched as if playing the piano. It is from this position of the hands that the trick takes its name.
    2. Take any two cards from the pack, show them, and say, 'Here are two cards, a pair, even. I place them between your fingers in this manner.' Place them in the space between the person's ring and little fingers, the sides of the card resting on the table, and have the person grip them in that position.
    3. Take two more cards, saying, 'Two more cards, another pair, always even.' Place them in the space between the ring and middle fingers, adjoining the