a slip or running knot, and, when he fails in this, the rope is deliberately cut with the little knife blade on belt, as described previously. This destroyed rope is now concealed on the medium, and he takes also from his clothes a similar rope and walks out of the cabinet with it, stating the spirits had released him. He again retires to the cabinet, and, in a short time, he is found retied, with his hands behind his back, securely fastened. Here is the explanation: [Illustration: Fig. 36.--The First Knot.] When he enters the cabinet, he allows both ends of the rope to hang down, holding the rope in center; the rope now, in its doubled condition, has a knot tied near its double end, leaving a knot and loop. (Fig. 36.) Then a single knot, tied in each portion of the rope, each side of this loop knot, far enough away so as to give length enough for the ropes to encircle the wrists, and these single knots come up hard against the loop knot. The ends of the rope are now run through the loop knot, and two loops are thus formed, which can be made larger, as desired, to slip the hands out. (Fig. 37.) The ends of the rope are now run down through holes in the chair seat, and ends fastened, and the medium inserts his wrists in the loop and pulls up taut, and he is ready for an investigation. It will readily be seen the medium can now do as he pleases, remove his coat, place on a borrowed one, etc. [Illustration: Fig. 37.--The Double Loop.] Another tie frequently used is that in which the medium seats himself in a chair, takes the rope, and ties it around his legs at the knees, with the single knot on top. On this he places his two hands, close together, and has the committee tie his hands with as many knots as they please, from which he nevertheless frees himself. The whole scheme lies in the fact that the medium tied but one knot around the legs, but did not pull it deep into the flesh. When the knots are tied over his hands, he keeps the legs a trifle apart. Now, to release himself, he simply has to draw his legs together, and strain on the ropes, so they sink into the legs a trifle, and let all the slack go above the single knot, thus giving room for the hands to be withdrawn. By forcing the hands apart, the desired slack is easily taken up. CHAPTER VII. POST TESTS, HANDCUFFS, COLLARS, ETC.