Marvello

I am indebted to T. Nelson Downs, world famous coin and card mystifier, for this excellent effect with cards.

Performer shuffles a deck of cards and asks a spectator to think of any number between 5 and 20 and another spectator to think of any number between 25 and 40. Magician deals the cards faces up on the table, telling each spectator to remember the card as it appears at the number each selected. Performer then asks each spectator what his number is. He counts off the cards one at a time on the table, placing the selected cards aside - for instance, the 18th and 38th.

Two cards are then taken from the pack at random and shown and placed in an empty envelope. Performer now takes more cards from the pack and puts with them the two selected cards - these he gives to a spectator to hold. He says that he will cause the cards in the envelope to change places with the selected cards in spectator's hand. These cards are examined and it is found that the selected cards have vanished and the indifferent cards are there. The selected cards are then taken from the envelope.