THE SENSE OF TOUCH
This is an improvement upon the two preceding tricks which I invented several years ago, and have shown scores of times without the modus operandi being once detected.
Effect.—The pack is handed to the audience to be shuffled, and, without even glancing at it, the performer places it behind his back and names each card (presumably by the sense of touch) before he draws it. He can hand the pack back to the audience to be shuffled as many times as desired.
Execution.—Before handing the pack to be shuffled, ascertain which card is on the top, and palm it in the right 18 hand; receive the pack back in the palm of the left hand and cover it with the thumb.
Put both hands behind you and slip the palmed card between the tips of your left first and second fingers; then palm the top card and take the card originally palmed between the right thumb and the forefinger with your thumb on top. While doing this, explain to the audience that you have with considerable practice acquired a marvellously keen sense of touch which enables you to ascertain the name of each card by simply feeling it. You proceed to say: “I will name each card before showing it to you, and you are at liberty to shuffle the pack as many times as you may desire.
“The card I am now feeling appears to be (say) the queen of spades.” You then show the card held between your thumb and finger, at the same time glancing at the palmed card. Throw the former on the table, and putting your hand behind your back again, nip the palmed card with the first two fingers of the left hand, and palm the top card as before. You can go through the whole pack in this manner, but each time you hand it to be shuffled, be sure to have one card palmed. This trick should not be attempted until it has been thoroughly rehearsed.