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。