Arthur Conan Doyle, SPIRITUALISM and Harry Houdini

THE RIDDLE OF HOUDINI                                                                            continued


However, much worse was to come.

The lady was put into the reconstituted box, her arms protuding  through holes on
each side.  Houdini observed, without any apparent reason, to pass his hand along the
lady's arm, and so into the box.

Presently, after some experiments, the lady's arms were placed inside and the attempt
was to be made to ring the bell-box while only her head projected.

Suddenly, the terrible Walter intervened.


"Houdini, you----------blackguard!" he thundered.  "You have put a ruler into the cabi-
net.  You------------!  Remember, Houdini, you won't live for ever.  Some day you've
got to die."


The lights were turned on, and, shocking to relate, a two-foot folding ruler was found
lying in the box.  It was a most deadly trick, for, of course, if the bell had rung, Houdini
would have demanded a search of the cabinet, the ruler would have been found, it would,
if held between the teeth, have enabled the medium to have reached and pressed down
the flap of the bell-box, and all America would have resounded next day with the astute-
ness of Houdini and the proven villainy of the Crandons.  I do not think that even the
friends of the latter could have got over the patent fact.  It was the most dangerous
moment of their career, and only Walter saved them from ruin.

For the moment, Houdini was completely overcome, and cowered, as well he might, be-
fore the wrath of the unseen.  His offence was so obvious that no better excuse occur-
red to him, when he had rallied his senses, than that the rule had been left there by
accident by some subordinate.

When one considers, however, that of other tools upon earth, neither a hammer, chisel, nor
a wrench, but only a folding two-foot ruler could have sustained the charge, one realizes
how hopeless was his position.