OnthenexteveningIagainrepairedtothepublichalltowitnessand，ifpossible，fathomthisperformance。Thistime，however，I
　　foundthatanentirelydifferentmethodwasemployed。Envelopesandslipsofpaperweredistributed；andafterthequestionswerewrittenandsealedthemanagerwentabouttheroom，gatheringthemupinasmallblackbagwithadrawstringarounditstop。Ashegatheredupeachone，andwhilethewriterstillheldit，hegavetothatpersonanumberwhichwastoserveasthatparticularperson’snumberduringthetests。Atthesametimethemanagermarkedthenumberonthesubject’senvelope，whilethesubjectheldit，drawingacirclearoundthefigure，afterwhichthesubjectdroppedtheenvelopeintothesack。
　　Whenallwerecollected，theoperatortookthesackinthetipsofhisfingers，andholdingitaloft，walkeduptherunwaytothestagewhereacordhungfromascrew-eyefastenedintheceilingabove。Theotherendofthecordwasattachedtoapieceoffurnitureonthestage。Themanagernowattachedtheblackbagcontainingtheenvelopestotheendofthisstring，andthentakingtheotherend，drewthebaguptotheceilingnearthescrew-eye，whereitremainedinfullviewduringthetests。
　　Whilethemanagerwasdoingallthis，theghost-likemediumhadbeenwalkingaboutthestage，readinginalargeBible。HenowlaidtheBibleonatableandadvancedtothefrontofthestage，whilethemanagerdeliveredalectureonspiritualphilosophyandalsoonthestrangepowerofthemedium。AfterthisthemanagerannouncedthatthemediumwouldholdaBibleservice，duringwhichtimehewouldgivethetests。
　　ThemediumnowtookhisBible，andseatinghimselfinachairfacingtheaudience，beganbyreadingaverse。Afterthisheclosedhiseyesforatime，andthengavethefirsttest。Hebegan：“Iwillgivethesetestsintheorderinwhichthemanagergaveyouyournumbers，commencingwithnumberone。Now，Mrs。ClaraS——，Iseestandingnearyouanelderlylady，somewhatstooped；
　　butIcannotseeherfaceplainly。Sheseemstobeyourmother。
　　Shesaystotellyouthatyoursonisdoingwellwhereheis，andforyounottoworry，forhewillreturntoyouintime。Areyousatisfied？“Aladyintheaudiencewasvisiblyaffected，andacknowledgedthatthemediumhadansweredherquestioncorrectly。
　　ThemediumreadanotherverseintheBible，afterwhichhegavethesecondtestinamannersimilartothewayinwhichhehadgiventhefirstone。Afterthishereadanotherverse，andsocontinueduntilallthequestionsinthesackwereanswered。Themanagernowloweredthesack，andemptyingtheenvelopesintoasmallbasketdistributedthemunopenedtotheirwriters。
　　Theeffectofthisexhibitionwasfullyasgreataswasthatoftheformerone，andthemediumcontinuedtobethewonderofthetown。
　　OnthenexteveningIagainattendedthemeeting。Onthisoccasionquestionswerewrittenandsealedasontheformeroccasions。Thistimethemediumwasdressedasa“Mahatma，“wearingalargeturban。
　　Assoonasthequestionswerewritten，themanagercollectedtheminasmallwickerbasket，andemptiedthemonatableonthestage。
　　Heonlytalkedforamoment，describingwhatthemediumwoulddo。
　　Duringallthistimethemediumwasseatednearthefrontofthestage。Themediumnowtappedalittlebellheheldinhishand，asifsummoningthespirits，andbegangivingthetestsinthemostmarvelousmanner。Heseemedsomewhatnervous，andfinallyaroseandwalkedacrossthestage，stoppedamomentandthencontinuedhiswalk。Meanwhilehekeptgivingthetests。Occasionallyhewouldwalkaboutnervously，andsometimeshewouldseathimselfinthechairforatime；buthekeptrightongivingtestaftertest，withperfectaccuracy，whilethesealedenvelopesremainedinfullviewonthetable。Duringthistime，andinfactduringthetimetheaudiencewaswritingthequestions，neitherthemediumnorthemanagerhadeverleftthesightofthespectatorsforevenaninstant。
　　Afterallthetestsweregiven，themedium，verymuchexhausted，fellonacouchonthestage；whilethemanagerscoopedtheenvelopesbackintothebasket，andthendistributedthemtotheirwritersinanunopenedcondition。
　　Iwillnowexplainhowthis“occultist“gavethesevariousbillettests。
　　Wewillfirstrefertothetestsgiventhefirstevening。Aboyfromtheaudiencegatheredupthesealedenvelopesinahat，andbroughtthemtothestage，sittingwiththeminhislap；whilehedeliveredoneatatimetothemanager，whohelditaloft，duringwhichtimetheblindfoldedmediuminthereargavethetest。
　　Therewasasimplelittlemovethatescapedtheeyesofthespectatorsinthisinstance。Thespectatorsdidnotknowwhatwastohappen，neitherdidtheboy。Themovewasexecutedasfollows：
　　Justastheboycameonthestagewiththehatthemanagerreceivedthehatinhisrighthandandinanaturalmanner。Nothingwasthoughtofthis，astherewasnothingsuspiciousintheact。
　　Meanwhilethemanagerdirectedtheboytotakeachairthatsattotheleftofthefrontofthestage，andtoplaceittotherightsideinfront，facingtheaudience，andtotakehisseatthereon。
　　Now，thisconversationwiththeboynaturallyoccupiedtheattentionofthespectators；andwhiletheboywasexecutingthedirectionsthemanagerturnedtothetable，whichwassomewhatbackonthestage，andapparentlytookalargehandkerchieffromit，andwiththehatstillapparentlyinhishand，hesteppedtotheboy，givinghimthehatofenvelopesandthehandkerchief，atthesametimeinstructinghimhowtocoverthehat，andhowtodelivertheenvelopesoneatatime。Allofthismaneuveringseemedsonaturalthattheaudiencethoughtnothingwhateverofit。
　　Now，asthemanagerturnedtothetabletogetthehandkerchief，andwhilemosteyeswereontheboyasheplacedhischairandtookhisseat，themanagerdeftlyexchangedthehatinhisrighthandforanotherhatjustlikeit，thatwasfilledwith“dummy“
　　envelopesandwhichwasbehindtheflowers，musicbox，etc。，onthetable。Asheimmediatelyturnedwiththehatapparentlystillinhishand，butwithalargehandkerchiefinhisotherhand，everythingseemednaturalandtheaudiencethoughtnothingoftheincident。
　　Themanagernow，aftergivingtheboythehatandhandkerchief，invitedacommitteetocomeforwardandblindfoldthemediumwhohadbeenseatedattheleftofthestage。Thecommitteefirstplacedalady’sgloveontheeyesofthemediumasanadditionalprecaution，andthenplacedahandkerchiefoverthisandtieditbehindhishead。Thismethodofblindfoldingistheoneusuallyemployedbymostmediums。Ifthefaceofthemediumbeproperlyformed，hecaneasilyshiftsuchabandagewithhiseyebrows，sufficientlytoseedirectlyunderhiseyes，bylookingdownalongsidehisnose。Thecommitteenowretiredtotheaudience，andtheperformerledthemediumtoaseatbehindthetable。
　　Now，whilethemanagerdeliveredthelengthylecture，themediumquietlytiltedoverthehatofenvelopesbehindtheobjectsonthetable；andthentakingoneatatime，openedtheenvelopesandremovedthecards，arrangingthecardsontopofeachotherlikeapackofplayingcards。Thelecturelastedlongenoughforthemediumtocompletethistask；andasheheldthecardsinhislefthand，hecouldnowmoveslightlytotherightsothathewasprettywellinviewofthespectators。However，hislefthanddidnotcomeintoview。
　　Bythetimethelecturewascompleted，thespectatorshadentirelyforgottenthefactthatthemanagereverreceivedthehatfromtheboyatall。Infact，nextdayInoticedfromthetalkofthespectators，thattheyinvariablyassertedthatthehatneverlefttheboy’shandsortheirsight。
　　Now，whilethemanagerheldeachenvelopealoft，themediumhadbuttoreadthetopcardinhislefthandandgivethetestsinadramaticmanner。Afterthetests，whenthetablesweresettoonesideandacabineterected，anassistantoutofviewreceivedthecardsfromthemedium’slefthand；andthenwhilebehindthescenes，replacedtheminenvelopes，sealedthem，andthenexchangedtheseforthe“dummy“envelopesonthesmalltable。Aftertheentertainmentthemanagerplacedtheoriginalsnowagainsealed
　　nearthefrontofthestageforthewriterstotakeandkeepassouvenirsiftheyshouldsodesire。
　　Itisevidentthatthismethodcouldbevariedalittle。Forinstance，whenthemanagerholdstheenvelopealoft，themediumcouldfirstreaditandcarefullydescribethewriting。Hecouldthenaskfortheenvelope，soastobecomeenrapportwiththewriter，inorderthathemaygivethecorrectanswer。Inthiscasehecouldleavethesurpluscardsonthebackofthetablebehindthemusicbox，andhaveinhisleftpalmonlythesinglecardheisreading。Whenhereceivestheenvelopeheshouldplaceitinhislefthanddirectlyoverthecardandtearofftheendoftheenvelope。Heshouldthenapparentlytakeoutthecardfromtheenvelope，butinrealitytaketheoriginalcardfromtherearoftheenvelopewithhisrighthand。Heshouldthenwithhisrighthandpressthiscardontopofhisheadandgivetheanswer，whilehislefthandlaystheopenedenvelopeonthetableormusicbox。
　　Inthiscase，assoonasheanswersthequestion，heshouldreturnthecardtothemanagerwithhisrighthandandaskthemanagertohavesomeboyrunwithittoitswriter。Afteritisreturnedtoitswriter，themanagercanholdaloftanotherenvelopeandthemediumcontinuewiththetests。Afterthetests，themanagershouldremovethetornenvelopes，astheycontain“dummy“cards。
　　Iwillnowexplainthemethodpursuedonthesecondevening。Afterthequestionswerewrittenandsealed，themanagerwentamongthespectatorscollectingtheenvelopesinaclothbag。Hefirstnumberedtheenvelopes，atthesametimeinstructingeachspectatortorememberhisnumber，afterwhichtheenvelopesweredroppedintothebag。Whenalltheenvelopeswerecollected，themanagerliftedthebaginthetipsofhisfingersandascendedtothestagewithitinplainview。Hequicklyattachedittothecordanddrewituptotheceiling。Sofarallwasfair；butjustatthismomentapersonintherearofthehallmadethestatementthathedesiredtoplacehisenvelopeinthebagalso。Theperformeraskedagentlemanonthefloortotakethebag，whichhenowloweredanddetached，andtokindlygotothegentlemanandgethisenvelope。
　　Whilehewasdoingthisthemanagerheldtheaudiencebyhisdiscourse。Thetwogentlemenwere，ofcourse，paidconfederates；
　　andwhentheymetbehindthespectators，theymerelyexchangedthefirstbagforaduplicateunderthecoatoftherearconfederate，whothenslippedaroundbehindthestagewiththeoriginal。
　　Whentheotherconfederatereturnedtothestagewiththeduplicatebagandhandedittothemanagerheranthisoneuptotheceiling。
　　Thismethodcanbevariedbythemanagermakingtheexchangeunderhisowncoatinthefirstplacewhenintherearofthehallaftercollectingtheenvelopes。
　　Meanwhileanassistantbehindthescenesopenedandcopiedthequestionsneatlyonasheetofpaper，andNUMBEREDEACHONE。Ashedidthisheslippedeachoneintoaduplicateenvelope，whichwasalsonumberedbythemanagerwitharingdrawnaroundthefigure。
　　Thishesealed。Assoonasallwerecopiedthisassistantcarefullydrewthemedium’sBiblejustoutofsightfromthetableneartheflieswhereitrested，insertedthesheetcontainingthecopiedquestions，andpusheditbackintoviewagain。
　　Duringthistimethemediumwaswalkingslowlyaboutatthefrontofthestagewhilethemanagerdeliveredhislecture。AtthecloseofthelecturethemediumsteppedbacktothetablewherehehadlaidhisBibleashorttimebefore，pickeditupandcameforwardtakingaseatfacingtheaudience。HenextopenedtheBibleandturnedtheleavesoverslowly，passingthesheetofpaperandreadingandmemorizingthefirstquestionquickly。Hethenturnedtheleavesbeyondthissheetofpaperandfinallyselectedaverseandbeganreadingitimpressively。AshereadthisverseheallowedtheBibletotiltforwardsufficientlyforthespectatorstoseethattherewasnothinglikealoosesheetinit，shouldsuchanideaoccurtoanyone。
　　Ashehadturnedoverotherpagesaftersecretlyreadingthequestion，thesheetwashiddenfromview。AfterreadingtheverseheallowedtheBibletoclose，andthenclosinghiseyesgavethetestfornumberone。AfterthisheagainopenedtheBibleandturnedtheleavesthroughitslowly，readthesecondquestionsecretly，andfinallyfoundasecondverse，whichheproceededtoreadinasolemntone，hethengaveasecondtest，andsocontinueduntilallthetestsweregiven。Hethenlaydownverymuchexhausted，andthemanagerloweredtheclothbagcontainingthedummyenvelopes，andemptiedthemuponasmalltablenearthefrontofthestage。Hethensteppedtotherearofthestageandpickedupalittlewickerbasket，intowhichhescoopedthedummyenvelopesfromthesmalltablewheretheylayinfullview。Henowdescendedandrapidlyreturnedtheunopenedenvelopestotheirrespectivewriters。
　　Thebasketiswhatisknownasa“Billetchangingbasket。“Itislinedwithredsatinandisasmallaffairwithstraightslopingsides。Ithasahandlewhich，whendown，lockstwoflapsupagainstthesidesofthebasket。Thisisdonebytwolittleprojectionsonthebaseendsofthehandle。Theyareofwireandarebentintosuchshapethattheyprojectdownwardwhenthehandleisdown，andholdthetwosideflapsupagainstthesides。Theseflapsareofpasteboard，andarecoveredwithredsatinthesameasthebasketlining。Thereisaspringineachflapwhichclosesituponthebottomofthebasketwhenitisreleasedbyraisingthehandle。Envelopesinthebottomofthebasketarethushiddenandretained，whentheflapsarereleased，andtheduplicatesdropintothebasket，fromthesideswheretheywereconcealedbytheflaps。
　　Thisbasketcanbesuppliedbytheconjuringdepots，oritcaneasilybemade。Thehandlecanbemadeofwireandwrappedwithraffiagrasswhichisonsaleatthedepartmentstores。A
　　pasteboardliningcoveredwithredsatinmustfirstbesewedintothebasket，andthentwoflapsofpasteboardshouldbehingedtoapasteboardbottombypastingonahingeofcloth。Asuitablespringcanbemadeofspringwireandsewedintoposition，afterwhichthisisallcoveredwithredsatinandplacedinthebasket。