St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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30 THE IGNATIAN proceedings. While I was ringing up Franklin 1337 he paid no attention to me at all, but continued to read in a book he had taken up but a moment before I touched the card. It's certainly a mysterious affair from start to finish, and I'd lose anything to find out just how it's done. The two did not meet again for nearly a month, when they happened to run across each other on Market street one day, and stopped to have a little chat. - By the way, the lawyer remarked, do you recall how we two were fooled by that card game of your den- tist's a few weeks ago? That guy, who worked with him, must be a slicker, I'd very much like to visit the doctor and ask him to introduce me to the fellow. . I should say he was a slicker, and it's no use trying to get acquainted with him. We were both cleverly fooled. Lunch with me and forget about it. They went to a nearby cafe, and had just finished their Martini when 'the telephone bell on the bar behind them rang. Yes, this is Franklin 1337, they heard the bartender say. They looked at each other in dismay. That was the very number the dentist had used in his card game. D The bartender waited a minute. Yes, this is Mr. Baker talking to you now, he said. . A brief moment passed, and then, That card you touched was the jack of clubs. Yes, the jack. Goodbyj' and he hung up the receiver. Pardon me, said the salesman, as the bartender turned from the phone, but that's a queer conversationto have over a telephone. Here's the price of a. new hat for you, if you'll tell us the game. The bartender wavered a moment, and then taking the proffered bill, replied: It's the best yet. 1've a dentist friend on Fourth street. He gets a patient talking about card tricks, and

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IT'.S' A CINCHU 29 The loser demanded that the dentist explain the trick, for trick he surely believed it to be, but the dentist re- plied that he was as much in the dark as the drummer, who thereupon left the oiiice. There's a catch somewhere, said the salesman to his friend, the lawyer, to whom he unfolded his sad experi- ence, and I'd give you another twenty-dollar bill to know just where. Well, said the lawyer, I wouldn't mind making a twenty-spot or two myself, and since you have already warned me, I think I can fathom his little game,-for surely it 'must be a game, as you say. Suppose I drop in to see that dentist friend of yours this afternoon? I have a tooth that needs a filling that might just as well be at- tended to now as any other time. Most likely he'll get talking cards with me,-I'll lead him on to it if he doesn't. I'll make a bet with him myself, keep a close eye on him, and most likely I'll see the game before it is really worked, and be able to catch him in the act. By the way, didn't you say that it was worth twenty to you to know how it was done P Yes, I certainly did, replied the salesman. Then if I meet you at Coffee Dan's at five and tell you how, is that twenty mine ? It is, exclaimed the salesman, provided, you do not persuade the dentist to tell you,-and as for that, I'll give my trust to your honor. All right, was the reply, and they parted. Five o'clock came and they met at one of Coffee Dan's bat- tered tables. Well, began the lawyer, you're stung and so am I. I went through practically the same experience as you did,-selected the ace of hearts, and I was promptly told by the dentist's friend what card I had touched. I kept a close watch on the dentist throughout the whole

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1 T'S A CINCI-I 31 tells him ne knows a friend who can tell what card is touched in a pack laid out face up, without being present at all, just by being called up on the phone and told that a card has been touched. The patient nine times out of ten bites, for he gets excited over it and offers to bet it can't be done. If he doesn't make the offer himself, my friend does, and it's very seldom that it is refused. The guy lays out the cards, touches one, and then rings me up, and I tell him what card's been picked out,-every time. We knock out a hundred or more some months, for the .Doc. has a pretty good practice,-mostly among sports and other fellows who think that they know a good thing when they see it. I tell you it's the best thing yet. 'A cinch' is no name for it. But, replied the salesman, I don't see it yet. How can you tell from here what card's been touched? It's a cinch, was the reply. I have a little book here, --you can see it hanging by the telephone, and if you'd been watching me, you'd have noticed that I glanced in it before telling him what the card was. The doctor has the same thing fastened in his memorandum. It's a list of fifty-two cards in the deck, and opposite the name of each card is the name of some person,--the same names in his list as in mine, in the same order. 'Suppose the gent touches the queen of hearts. Doc looks in the book, that's simple, for he has opened it a moment before-maybe to put down another engagement for the pa- tient, for all' he knows. Opposite the words 'Queen of Hearts' is written the name 'Johnsonf Doc says, 'Ring up Franklin'l337, and ask for Mr. Johnsonf The fellow does as ordered. I answer the 'phone, look for Johnson in my list--the Queen of Hearts is opposite to it! 'You touched the Queen of Hearts,' I answer, and the money's ours. I Ouch! Well, I should say so. It's almost a shame to take the money. . 1 i '