THE modern magician specially prides himself on being able to produce with a borrowed pack effects which originally called for the use of specially prepared cards or forcing packs. This is a brilliant example of the solution of one of these problems. The ‘Stop’ effect is here produced with a borrowed pack. Two hats and a length of wide ribbon are the only accessories required. Place the hats, crown downwards, on the seats of two chairs about four feet apart and stretch the ribbon between them, one end in each hat. A small weight should be attached to each end of the ribbon to hold it in position.

In placing the hats and adjusting the ribbon you have taken the opportunity to introduce into the right-hand hat some ten or twelve cards, previously palmed from the pack. Next have two or three cards freely selected, noted, replaced and brought to the top in whatever way you prefer. Thoroughly shuffle the cards and drop them into the left-hand hat.

Take a card from the bottom of the pack, slide it along the ribbon explaining what you intend to do, just before dropping it into the second hat, turn it around and show that it is an indifferent card, Next take the top card, slide it along the ribbon, back outwards of course, put it quietly into the second hat and instantly back palm it. Dip your hand into hat No. 1 and bring out the same card at your finger-tips. Pass this along the ribbon fairly slowly and repeat the movements until the spectator calls ‘Stop’. The card is named and turned and shown to be the one. Repeat the same process with the second and third cards, finally the spare cards are taken out of the second hat and returned to the pack as being those actually passed.

If soft hats are used, have a small tie clip sewn to the ends of the ribbons in lieu of the weights which have a tendency to drag the hats over sideways. These should be sewn so that the ribbon will be vertical and not flat between the hats. The use of a bell or a small whistle instead of the spectator calling ‘Stop’, makes the trick even more effective. This brilliant method is particularly interesting as being one of the few in which the back palm is put to its legitimate use as a secret sleight and as an example of what might have been done with it had its use not been practically limited to juggling flourishes.

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