Bou-Allem，beingawarethatmytrickswereonlytheresultofskill，wasangrythathisguestshouldbesopestered；hencehebeganreproachingtheMarabout。Istoppedhim，however，foranideahadoccurredtomewhichwouldsavemefrommydilemma，atleasttemporarily；then，addressingmyadversary：
　　“Youareaware，“Isaid，withassurance，“thatIrequireatalismaninordertobeinvulnerable，and，unfortunately，IhaveleftmineatAlgiers。“
　　TheMaraboutbeganlaughingwithanincredulousair。“Still，“I
　　continued，“Ican，byremainingsixhoursatprayers，dowithoutthetalisman，anddefyyourweapon。To-morrowmorning，ateighto’clock，IwillallowyoutofireatmeinthepresenceoftheseArabs，whowerewitnessesofyourchallenge。“
　　Bou-Allem，astonishedatsuchapromise，askedmeonceagainifthisofferwereserious，andifheshouldinvitethecompanyfortheappointedhour。Onmyaffirmative，theyagreedtomeetbeforethestonebenchinthemarketplace。
　　Ididnotspendmynightatprayers，asmaybesupposed，butI
　　employedabouttwohoursininsuringmyinvulnerability；then，satisfiedwiththeresult，Isleptsoundly，forIwasterriblytired。
　　Byeightthenextmorningwehadbreakfasted，ourhorsesweresaddled，andourescortwasawaitingthesignalforourdeparture，whichwouldtakeplaceafterthefamousexperiment。
　　Noneoftheguestswereabsent，and，indeed，agreatnumberofArabscameintoswellthecrowd。
　　Thepistolswerehandedme；Icalledattentiontothefactthattheventswereclear，andtheMaraboutputinafairchargeofpowderanddrovethewadhome。Amongthebulletsproduced，IchoseonewhichIopenlyputinthepistol，andwhichwasthenalsocoveredwithpaper。
　　TheArabwatchedallthesemovements，forhishonorwasatstake。
　　Wewentthroughthesameprocesswiththesecondpistolandthesolemnmomentarrived。
　　Solemn，indeed，itseemedtoeverybody——tothespectatorswhowereuncertainoftheissue，toMadameHoudin，whohadinvainbesoughtmetogiveupthistrick，forshefearedtheresult——andsolemnalsotome，forasmynewtrickdidnotdependonanyofthearrangementsmadeatAlgiers，Ifearedanerror，anactoftreachery——Iknewnotwhat。
　　StillIpostedmyselfatfifteenpacesfromthesheik，withoutevincingtheslightestemotion。
　　TheMaraboutimmediatelyseizedoneofthepistols，and，onmygivingthesignal，tookadeliberateaimatme。Thepistolwentoff，andtheballappearedbetweenmyteeth。
　　Moreangrythanever，myrivaltriedtoseizetheotherpistol，butIsucceededinreachingitbeforehim。
　　“Youcouldnotinjureme，“Isaidtohim，“butyoushallnowseethatmyaimismoredangerousthanyours。Lookatthatwall。“
　　Ipulledthetrigger，andonthenewlywhitewashedwallappearedalargepatchofblood，exactlyatthespotwhereIhadaimed。
　　TheMaraboutwentuptoit，dippedhisfingerintheblood，and，raisingittohismouth，convincedhimselfofthereality。Whenheacquiredthiscertainty，hisarmsfell，andhisheadwasbowedonhischest，asifhewereannihilated。
　　Itwasevidentthatforthemomenthedoubtedeverything，eventheProphet。
　　Thespectatorsraisedtheireyestoheaven，mutteredprayers，andregardedmewithaspeciesofterror。
　　Thisscenewasatriumphantterminationtomyperformance。I
　　thereforeretired，leavingtheaudienceundertheimpressionIhadproduced。WetookleaveofBou-Allemandhisson，andsetoffatagallop。
　　ThetrickIhavejustdescribed，thoughsocurious，iseasilyprepared。Iwillgiveadescriptionofit，whileexplainingthetroubleittookme。
　　AssoonasIwasaloneinmyroom，Itookoutofmypistolcase——
　　withoutwhichInevertravel——abulletmold。
　　Itookacard，bentupthefouredges，andthusmadeasortoftrough，inwhichIplacedapieceofwaxtakenfromoneofthecandles。Whenitwasmelted，ImixedwithitalittlelampblackI
　　hadobtainedbyputtingthebladeofaknifeoverthecandle，andthenranthiscompositioninthebulletmold。
　　HadIallowedtheliquidtogetquitecold，theballwouldhavebeenfullandsolid；butinabouttensecondsIturnedthemoldover，andtheportionsofthewaxnotyetsetranout，leavingahollowballinthemold。Thisoperationisthesameasthatusedinmakingtapers，thethicknessoftheoutsidedependingonthetimetheliquidhasbeenleftinthemold。
　　Iwantedasecondball，whichImaderathermoresolidthantheother；andthisIfilledwithblood，andcoveredtheorificewithalumpofwax。AnIrishmanhadoncetaughtmethewaytodrawbloodfromthethumbwithoutfeelinganypain，andIemployeditonthisoccasiontofillmybullet。
　　Bulletsthuspreparedbearanextraordinaryresemblancetolead，andareeasilymistakenforthatmetalwhenseenatashortdistanceoff。
　　Withthisexplanation，thetrickwillbeeasilyunderstood。Aftershowingtheleadenbullettothespectators，Ichangeditformyhollowball，andopenlyputthelatterintothepistol。Bypressingthewadtightlydown，thewaxbrokeintosmallpieces，andcouldnottouchmeatthedistanceIstood。
　　Atthemomentthepistolwasfired，IopenedmymouthtodisplaytheleadbulletIheldbetweenmyteeth，whiletheotherpistolcontainedthebulletfilledwithblood，whichburstingagainstthewall，leftitsimprint，thoughthewaxhadflowntoatoms。
　　ItisnowonderthataftersuchexhibitionsRobert-Houdin’ssuccesswascomplete。TheArabslostallconfidenceinMarabout“miracles，“andthusadangeroussmolderingflameofdisaffectiontotheFrenchwasentirelysmothered。
　　DavidP。AbbottFraudulentSpiritualismUnveiled[1]
　　[1]Astowhethercommunicationwiththedepartedispossible，nodiscussionishereattempted。Theepisodesfollowing，fromexperienceswellauthenticated，merelyillustratewhatsleight-of-
　　handexpertshavelongknown——thatmost“mediums，““astrologers，“
　　“mindreaders，“andthelike，canbeproventobefrauds。Theirdupesarepuzzled，andsometimeswonover，inthenameofSpiritualism，eitherbythetricksfamiliartoall“conjurers，“orelsebythepsychologyofdeceptionseepage280。Someoftheclevernessdisplayedismarvelous，asthefollowingpagesshow。
　　ThepassagesbyHerewardCarringtonarecopyrightedbyHerbertB。
　　Turner&Co。，1907，andthosebyDavidP。AbbottarecopyrightedbytheOpenCourtPublishingCompany，
　　NotsoverylongagoImetafriend——amanofwealth，whowasafirmbelieverinspiritualism，andwhofrequentlyconversedwithhisdeadwifeanddaughter。Iaskedhimifhecouldinformmewhetherornottherewereanygoodmediumsinthecity，asIshouldliketoconsultone。
　　HerepliedthatatpresenttherewerenoneinOmahaofanywell-
　　developedpsychicpowers；thathewasentirelysatisfiedonthesubjectanddidnotrequireanydemonstrationstoconvincehimselfofthetruthsofspiritualscience。Heinformedmethatthequestionwassettledbeyondalldispute；butthatifIwereskeptical，therewassaidtobeamediuminCouncilBluffswhopossessedmostwonderfulpowers。
　　Iaccordinglymadeotherinquiriesfromthosewhowereinapositiontoknow；andIlearnedthatthismedium，acelebrated“DoctoroftheOccult，Astrologer，PalmistandSpiritMedium，“wasatthattimegivingprivatesittingsinCouncilBluffstoearnestinquirersonly，forthesmallsumoftwodollars。
　　Iwasinformedthathisperformanceswereofthemostwonderfulnature；thattherewasnopossibilityoftrickeryofanykind；thathetoldyouwhateveryoudesiredtoknow，withoutyourevenaskinghim；that，inadditiontothis，hehadpowersovertheelementsofnature；and，infact，Iwasledtobelievethathewasatruesorcereroftheoldendays。
　　Ideterminedatoncetocallonthisrenownedpersonage，andtrytosecurealittleinformationfromtheunseenworld。Accordingly，oneSundayafternoonItookthecarthatcrossedtheriver，andinduetimearrivedattheapartmentsofthiswonderfuldoctor。
　　Iwasmetatthedoorbyanattendant，whoacceptedthefeeanddirectedmetoentertheroomsofthismysteriouspersonquietly；
　　andifIfoundhimemployed，bynomeanstodisturbhim，butmerelytoawaithispleasure；thathewasfrequentlyconversingwithunseenbeings，ordeepinsomeastrologicalcomputation，andatsuchtimesitwasnotsafetodisturbhim。
　　WithabeatingheartIenteredtheroomwherehewastobefound。
　　Thisroomwasalargeone。Ididnotseehimatfirst。Whatattractedmyattentionwasalargemaporpaintingonapieceofcanvaswhichhungonawallspaceintheroom。Thispaintinghadarepresentationofthesuninitscenter。Thiscouldbediscoveredbytherayswhichradiatedfromitinalldirections。Aroundthissunweremanystars，andanoccasionalplanet，amongwhichSaturnanditsringswereveryprominentlydepicted。Therewerenumerouspicturesofanimalsandmen，andofqueermonsters，scatteredamongthestars。
　　Beneaththispicturestoodalargegoldenoaktableatwhichsatthisdelverintotheoccult，deeplyengrossedinastudyofthispainting；whilewithalittlebrushhefiguredandcalculated，inaqueersortofChinesecharacters，whichhedrewonasheetofpaper。Healsoseemedtobemakingastrangedrawingonthesamepaper。Hewasfartoodeeplyengagedtonoticemyentrance，andcontinuedathislaborsforsometime，whileIstoodquietlyandwatchedhim。Sittingononeendofthisratherlargetablewasaglassglobeorvessel，supportedbythreenickeledrods，somethinglikeatripod。Comingfromthewallwasaratherlargenickeledtubeorpipewhichcurvedoverabovetheglassvessel，andcontinuallyalloweddropsofwatertofallintotheglobe。Fromthesideofthisglassvesselthereledasmallnickeledpipewhichevidentlycarriedawaythewastewater。
　　Occasionallyalittleblueflamewouldappearonthesurfaceofthiswater，playabout，anddisappear。Whenthishappenedthebodyofthemediumwasalwaysconvulsedslightly。
　　Afteratimeheseemedtofinishhiscalculation，andthisseercondescendedtoleavetherealmsofthestarswhereindweltthespiritsthatruletheuniverseandthedestiniesofmen，andtodescendtoearthandforatimedirecthisgazetowardthishumblemortal。Heturnedaroundandobservedmeforthefirsttime。Hewasalarge，portly，fine-lookinggentlemanofmiddleage，withverylongblackhairwhichgavehimastrangeappearance。Heworeapairofglasseslowdownonhisnose；andfromoverthesehecondescendedtodirecthisgazeat，andtostudymeforamomentasanaturalistmightstudysomespecimenthathappenedtemporarilytoattracthisnotice。
　　Hesooninformedmethatthestarshadtoldhimsomethingofmycomingandofthequestionthatwasworryingme；andheaskedmeifIdesiredtoconsultthestarsastomydestiny，tohavehimdecipheritfromthelinesofmypalm，orwhetherIshouldprefertoconversewiththedead。Thelastwasmychoice。
　　Notfarfromawindowatonesideoftheroomtherewasasmalltableonwhichwereafewarticles。Hedirectedmetobeseatedatthistable，andhandedmeaslipofpaperofasizeofprobablyfourbyfiveinches。HedirectedmetowritethequestionI
　　desiredansweredonthispaper，andwhenthroughtofoldthepaperinhalvesthreetimeswiththewritinginside。Ididsowhilehewalkedtohisbowlofwaterapparentlypayingnoattentiontome，andthenreturned。
　　Whenhehadreturnedtoapositionoppositemeatthetable，hereachedtotakemywritingoutofmyhand；seeingwhichIquicklybentdownonecornerofthepaperandgaveittohim。HedirectedonesharpglanceatmeasIdidthis，atthesametimepickingupanenvelopefromthetablewithhisotherhand。Heheldthisenvelopeopenflapsidetowardme，andslowlyinsertedmypaperintoit。Ashedidthis，lookingsharplyatme，heremarked，“Iamnosleight-of-handperformer。Youseeyourquestionisactuallyintheenvelope。“Thiswasthecase；foritwasclosetomeandI
　　couldplainlyseethetopofitagainstthebackoftheenvelope，thelowerportionsbeinginserted；andIcouldseethelittlecornerfoldeddown，asIhadbentit，andIwascertainhehadnotexchangedit。InfacthetookoccasiontousehishandsinsuchmannerthatIcouldseetherewasnothingconcealedaboutthem，thathe“palmed“nothing，andthathemadenoexchange。Iwasentirelysatisfiedthatallwasfair，andthatnoexchangehadbeenmade。
　　Next，hesealedtheenvelope，andholdingittowardthewindow，calledmyattentiontothefactthatastheenvelopewaspartlytransparentIcouldseemypaperwithinitandthatitwasactuallythere。Thiswasreallythecase。Henowtookamatch，andlightingitappliedtheflametothisidenticalenvelopewithoutitsleavingmysight；andproceededtoburnthelastvestigeofitandthepaperwithinit，allowingtheashestodropintoasmallvesselonthetable。