The trick with the locked and corded box, I believe, is an old one, though perhaps not in its present form. In late years it has been revived with improvements, and popularized by those clever illusionists, Messrs. Maskelyne & Cook and Dr. Lynn, at the Egyptian Hall. There are several ways of working the trick or, rather, of arranging the special bit of mechanism wherein the peculiar features of the box consist. The one I am about to describe is, I think, the best of those I am acquainted with, or at liberty to divulge. Indeed, I don't know that any method is better, and this one has the advantage over most others of allowing the performer to get into as well as out of the box, without leaving a trace of his means of ingress. It will be seen the box is paneled, and all the panels look equally firm and fixed. As a matter of fact, one of the panels is movable, though the closest scrutiny would fail to discover this if the box and fittings are carefully made and adjusted. Fig. 1 shows the general appearance of the box, of which the back is the same as the front. In the box I describe, the end marked + has a movable panel. The size of the box should be regulated by the size of the performer; but one measuring 3 feet 6 inches long by 2 feet back to front, and 21 inches high, exclusive of the lid, which may be 3 inches, will be of general use. In making the box it is most important that all sides and panels look alike, and that nothing special in the appearance of the end with the loose panel should attract notice. Fig. 2 shows this end with fittings drawn half of full size, and it will he seen from this that the framing, A, is 3 inches wide by 1¼ inches thick, and the panel, B, ½ inch thick. [Illustration: FIG. 1.] It will be noticed that the top and bottom rails of the frame are rabbeted to receive the panel, but the sides are grooved, the groove in front rail being double the depth of the one in the back rail. [Illustration: THE LOCKED AND CORDED BOX TRICK. By DAVID B. ADAMSON.] The dotted line, B, shows the size of the panel; the dotted line, C, shows the depth of groove in the front rail. From this it will be clear that the panel is only held in place at the back and front, and that on sliding it toward the front it will be free out of the groove in the back rail. Three sides of it are thus free, and a little manipulation will allow of its being taken out altogether, leaving plenty of space for the performer to get out, presuming him to have been locked inside the box. If the panel were to be finished in this way, without further fittings, the secret would soon be discovered; and I now proceed to show how the panel is held in place and firm while under examination.