"Well, I begin and shuffle the books on the payment of the
$5. As they are shuffled the corner of the bill that is
still attached gets turned around next to me, while the
corner that is torn off gets around next to the passenger,
whom I have cornered in the seat in a way that he can't see
everything that he really ought to see in order to save his
money. When I hold out the three books for the drawing I am
in a position where I couldn't possibly see the corner that
sticks out, while he is where he can't see anything else.
"And he draws the book with the corner sticking out!
"I take it from him instantly, and hold it up with the bill
corner at the bottom, flipping the leaves through from
front to back and forward again. In the act the corner of
the bill drops out on the floor, where he doesn't see. 'Not
here,' I says. 'You made a bad draw. Here's the bill,' I
says, taking up the book that holds it and turning to the
$10 bill, just where it lies. He doesn't know how it all
happened, but I console him that he has the three wild west
books for his library when he gets home.