Elaine was still talking enthusiastically about her party, when Long
Sin turned from Kennedy and moved toward us with a bow.
"The lady speaks of an Oriental reception," he remarked. "Would she care to engage a magician?"
Elaine turned to him surprised. "Do you mean that you are a magician?" she asked, puzzled.
Long Sin smiled quietly. He reached over and took a small bottle from Kennedy's laboratory table. Holding it in his hand almost directly before us, he made a few sleight-of-hand passes, and, presto! the bottle had disappeared. A few more passes, and a test tube appeared in its place. Before we knew it he had caused the test tube to disappear and the bottle to reappear. We all applauded enthusiastically.
"I don't think that is such a bad idea after all," nodded Kennedy to
Elaine.
"Perhaps not," she agreed, a little doubtfully. "I hadn't intended to have such a thing, but—why, of course, that would interest everybody."
. . . . . . .
It was the night of the reception. The Dodge library was transformed. The Oriental hangings which Elaine and Kennedy had purchased seemed to breathe mysticism. At the far end of the room a platform had been arranged to form a stage on which Long Sin was to perform his sleight-of-hand. The drawing-room also was decorated like the library.
At the other end of the room Elaine and Aunt Josephine, in picturesque Oriental costume, were greeting the guests. Every one seemed to be delighted with the novelty of the affair.
We came in just a bit ahead of Long Sin, and Elaine greeted us.